US sanctions may be followed by EU sanctions

Berlin proposed to expand sanctions against Moscow because of turbines delivered by German concern Siemens to Crimea, diplomatic sources said.

German authorities also proposed an initiative to add three or four Russian citizens, as well as Russian organizations to the sanctions list. Brussels will consider new sanctions on July 26, RIA Novosti reported.

According to a high-ranking diplomatic source, Russia's Energy Ministry and Russian company that delivered turbines to Crimea may be added to the sanctions list.

Siemens declined to comment. Press secretary of Russian president Dmitry Peskov also did not comment on this situation, explaining that there's no reference to "any credible source."

On July 22, the US Congress published a bill that expands sanctions against Russia and Iran. The document received support of the White House, Senate will consider it tomorrow.

Andrey Suzdaltsev, deputy dean of the world economy and international relations faculty of the Higher School of Economics, said in an interview with Vestnik Kavkaza that the United States are undoubtedly a leader and an initiator in this matter.

"They will insist that Europe must support these sanctions. We must be prepared for this," he said.

Head of the European Studies Center at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Science Alexei Kuznetsov said that the EU sanctions themselves are illegal, "because it is incorrect to say that Russia violated some law."

He added that the issue of EU sanctions against Russia sanctions has a political nature. "In this case, it is possible that this happens due to elections to the Bundestag, which will take place in the fall."