MOSCOW, July 30. /TASS/. Russia may take retaliatory measures against the seven countries that have backed EU sanctions.
"Certainly, retaliatory steps may follow," presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the media. "We say once again that the principle of reciprocity is a fundamental one."
Seven European countries — Montenegro, Albania, Iceland, Norway, Lichtenstein, Ukraine and Georgia have reaffirmed to the EU Council they prolonged the participation in the EU’s sanctions against Crimea and Sevastopol till June 23, 2016, as follows from a statement by the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, Federica Mogherini, published on the EU Council’s website on July 28.
Six of these countries except Georgia also joined the EU’s decision of July 22 to prolong economic sanctions against Russia till January 31, 2016.
The EU membership aspirants (Montenegro and Albania and the countries affiliated with the European Free Trade Association: Iceland, Norway and Lichtenstein and also Ukraine and Georgia, which are neither EU aspirants or EFTA members, joined the EU Council’s declaration of June 19 prolonging the operation of the EU’s restrictive measures against Crimea and Sevastopol till June 23, 2016, Mogherini’s statement runs.