MOSCOW, July 28. /TASS/. US’ new sanctions against Russia are first of all aimed at winning the EU oil and gas market, Sergey Katyrin, head of Russia’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told TASS.
"I'm not sure that the ultimate goal of anti-Russian sanctions is Russia. Sanctions, if one separates them from political husk, are economically targeted against Russia and pursue primarily the US mercantile goal. When they punish Russia by using sanctions to limit Gazprom's capabilities in Europe, the US intends to get a piece of the huge European oil and gas market for itself, and this is the biggest American mistake," he said.
- Senator slams approval of anti-Russian sanctions as proof of US establishment’s decay
- US Senate passes bill toughening anti-Russia sanctions
- Expert warns new sanctions against Russia may drive wedge between US and EU
- New US anti-Russia sanctions way to pursue its economic interests with cynicism — Putin
According to Katyrin, most likely under the pretense of Euro-Atlantic solidarity, the US will hand its liquefied gas to Europeans, which will cost twice as much as Russia's.
At the same time, the president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry stressed that Washington is using sanctions to "clear one or another territory from competitors."
"The US actually voiced plans to become leader on the global oil and gas market, so we may hear about even more exotic reasons than election of the US President by Russia for imposing new sanctions, and not only against Russia," he said.
Katyrin is confident that "in case with US gas for Europe the so-called Euro-Atlantic solidarity will do ill service for the European economy.
"Expensive gas means not only a more expensive European utility bills but a noticeably higher cost of all goods, serious losses in competition. European businesses won’t be very happy about it, so we will likely witness serious economic contradictions and "wars" between the EU and the US," Katyrin said.
According to the head of the largest association of Russian entrepreneurs, this will be the "beginning of the end" of new sanctions. "But we should not waste time waiting. You can only respond to unfair competition by making your own economy stronger and more competitive," he concluded.