Russian PM asks govt to prepare retaliation against new US sanctions

MOSCOW -- Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev asked the government on Monday to prepare measures in response to new US sanctions against the Russian Nord Stream 2 and TurkStream gas pipelines.

"These are really methods of non-competitive struggle, contrary to all international agreements and principles of international law and international trade," Medvedev said at a meeting with his deputies, according to an official transcript.

Recalling that the new US sanctions were negatively affecting the interests of a significant number of European countries, Medvedev asked his deputies "to look at the possibilities of imposing new restrictive measures against the United States" and present proposals with an evaluation of their efficiency.

On Friday, US President Donald Trump signed into law a defense bill which includes provisions calling for sanctions against Russia and Turkey and companies involved in building the Nord Stream 2 and TurkStream gas pipelines.

The Nord Stream 2, stretching 1,230 km from Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea, is scheduled to start operation in the middle of 2020.

The TurkStream pipeline consisting of two 930-km offshore gas pipelines is planned to start operation at the end of this year, crossing the Black Sea to Turkey. It is also expected to connect Russian gas reserves further to Bulgaria, Serbia and Italy.