ST PETERSBURG, July 29. /ITAR-TASS/. The West’s new sanctions against Russia are counterproductive, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said on Tuesday.

The high-ranking diplomat described them as “cynical”.

“Such economic measures are useless. No one can understand such language,” Karasin said.

At the same time, he said, “The sanctions can help us pull together: Russia’s economy will be more effective and the society will be stronger.”

On July 25, European Council leader Herman Van Rompuy wrote to EU leaders saying the bloc agreed on defense, financial and technology sanctions against Russia, avoiding the need for an emergency summit.

The European Commission may also impose an arms embargo to limit Russian weapons exports to Europe estimated at 3.2 billion euros a year and restrict trade in dual-purpose goods.

The new sanctions also include restrictions on trade in and out of Crimean ports.