EU and US dispute on Russia sanctions gets worse - by Andrew Rettman

The EU has threatened to retaliate against US sanctions on European firms that invest in Russian energy projects.

But a senior US diplomat has said there is a window of opportunity to “change the status quo” on Russia’s behaviour in Ukraine.

Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission chief, said on Wednesday (26 July) that “if our concerns are not taken into account sufficiently, we stand ready to act appropriately within a matter of days.”

“America first cannot mean that Europe's interests come last,” he said.

He did not clarify how the EU would "act", but a leaked internal memo this week indicated the Commission might seek to circumscribe US jurisdiction on the issue or to impose counter-sanctions on US firms.

Juncker said the EU was “fully committed” to previous Russia sanctions, but he said the new US measures could have “unintended unilateral effects that impact the EU's energy security interests”, such as repairs to Russia’s old gas pipeline network.

Note  EU-Digest: It is high time the EU starts to put their "money where their mouth is". There is no need for the EU to follow the US blindly in everything they do or suggest. Specially when it concerns such sensitive issues as sanctions. Also, the US political establishment's continuous efforts to make Russia "the whipping boy" for all the problems in the world, does not mean the EU is to follow in their foot-steps.

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