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Sberbank CEO expects US authorities to maintain practice of sanctions against Russia

Herman Gref said that it is very likely the United States’ policy to go back to where it was during Obama’s presidency

Sberbank CEO Herman Gref Mikhail Tereschenko/TASS

Sberbank CEO Herman Gref

© Mikhail Tereschenko/TASS

MOSCOW, November 12. /TASS/. The new US authorities may try to employ the practice of sanctions against Russia, Sberbank CEO Herman Gref said in an interview with Nailya Asker-zade for Russia-1’s Vesti news show.

"It’s hard to say at the moment what the United States’ policy will be. It is very likely to go back to where it was during Obama’s presidency," he pointed out. "Apparently, difficulties will remain and attempts will continue to employ the practice of sanctions against Russia," Gref added.

At the same time, he found it difficult to predict what kind of sanctions Russia could face. "Two previous [US] administrations exhausted the stock of sanctions. In fact, there are few new targets for sanctions," the Sberbank CEO stressed. "The existing sanctions can be tough as they can lead to a significant imbalance in international relations. I don’t think that anyone is interested in creating another point of tension the moment," he emphasized.

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