EU divided over how to respond to US sanctions on Russia

The European Commission's (EC) preparations to respond to new sanctions proposed by the US against Russia are likely to face opposition from within the European Union (EU), which is divided over how to deal with Russia, officials, diplomats and experts say.

Liquefied natural gas plant near Korsakov on Russia's Sakhalin Island. Source: AFP/ VNA

Earlier, leaders of both houses of the US Congress reached consensus on a bill to sanction Russia, including fining companies that assist Moscow in building energy export pipelines.

Both the EU and the US have imposed wide-ranging economic sanctions targeting Russia's financial, defense and energy sectors in response to Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its support for separatists in eastern Ukraine.

However, the Nordic countries are looking to protect the gas supplies they depend on from Russia.

The new US sanctions are likely to affect a number of EU companies involved in Nord Stream 2, the $9.5 billion project to transport Russian gas through the Baltic region, including German oil and gas group Wintershall and oil trading company Uniper, Anglo-Dutch group Royal Dutch Shell of the Netherlands, Austria's OMV Group and France's Engie Group.

Markus Beyrer, director of Business Europe, the EU's main trade lobby, called on Washington to prevent unilateral actions that could have a negative impact mainly on the EU and its citizens and businesses.

The EC is expected to discuss the next steps on July 26, one day after the US House of Representatives votes on the above-mentioned Russia sanctions bill./.

According to Vietnamplus