MOSCOW, December 16. /TASS/. British sanctions against Russian energy companies have a "very limited" effect, but they could still harm the global market, Russia’s ambassador to Britain Andrey Kelin said in an interview with International Affairs Journal.
"First of all, it must be kept in mind that the British sanctions themselves have a very limited effect. Russian companies have learned to adapt to changing realities. They are successfully restructuring their supply chains and expanding cooperation with reliable partners. The Russian energy sector remains in demand, and the restrictions only stimulate the development of new trade ties. However, a negative impact on the global energy market as a whole cannot be ruled out," he noted, responding to a question about the potential consequences of anti-Russian energy sanctions.
Kelin emphasized that the British authorities, "in pursuit of short-term political ambitions," are clearly not calculating the consequences of their actions. "Their actions carry the risk of destabilizing global energy supplies. Unlike the US, Britain is much more vulnerable to fluctuations in the energy market," the ambassador added.
On October 15, the British government announced new sanctions against Russia. The restrictions affected the companies Rosneft and Lukoil, banks, organizations in Russia, dozens of tankers and companies from China, the UAE, India, Turkey, Thailand and Singapore, allegedly connected with the transportation of Russian oil.