US sanctions on Russia affect EU – analyst

Press TV has conducted an interview with William Jones, with Executive Intelligence Review from Washington, about comments by the Finnish prime minister about economic sanctions imposed on Russia by the United States and the European Union.

Press TV: Are we seeing the beginning of the retaliation of Russia against all of Western sanctions that will really hurt many allies of the United States such as Finland?

Jones: Yes this is the case. Finland is one of the most important countries. It is very close to Russia, dependent on trade. Any kind of restrictions to them would seriously hurt their economy.

Much of their economy has been for almost a century now dependant on Russia. …the restrictions that are placed on them are going to hit them very very heavily, but also the other European countries who have become dependent on Russian trade are going to suffer greatly as a result of the retaliations that the Russians seem to want to take against the restrictions and the sanctions by the US and the EU.

Press TV: Do you think that this would affect the relationship between the EU and the United States?

Jones: It already has to a large extent. There is a great deal of tension between the EU countries and the United States, probably more intense with regard to countries like Germany but also France and some of the other nations, and I think that is going to get worse and not better.

They have gone along with increased sanctions. They apparently have accepted the alleged justification giving to the increased sanctions by the US, and they have agreed to that but I think it is going to lead to a lot of suffering in these countries and there is going to be a lot more reticence of going any further if it is taking further by the US and of course they have not felt the full brunt of it yet. We do not know what more Russia will do to retaliate.

So I think their situation is going to become more difficult, and I think you will see a certain split that is already there but it will become greater between the EU countries and the United States as we move forward in this process.