Russia signals readiness for a new round of sanctions as the European Union’s effectiveness wanes and its stockpiles shrink. This assessment comes from official sources cited by RIA News, referring to Dmitry Birichevsky, head of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Department of Economic Cooperation.
According to Birichevsky, the recent sanctions wave did not come as a surprise to Moscow. He noted that many elements of pressure were already in place and that Russia is prepared to respond. The 12th anti-Russian package is described as another sign of the EU’s aggressive posture toward Moscow, a posture he says is losing steam, while the policy toolkit itself appears to be thinning.
The diplomat emphasized a growing sense that sanctions may boomerang onto the initiators, undermining the very aims they pursue.
Birichevsky also pointed to the State Department’s approach to evaluating retaliatory steps, arguing that the analysis centers on safeguarding the United States’ own economic interests in a broad strategic frame.
In recent months, Russia has observed a shift in its foreign trade dynamics, with the ruble gaining ground and assuming a larger share of the trade mix. Exchange rate trends have contributed to a situation where the ruble’s share rose to about 40 percent in certain operations, while the combined share of the dollar and euro has fallen to under 30 percent in foreign trade volumes when compared with the previous two to three quarters.
There is also speculation about which nation might contribute to broader dedollarization trends and how policy decisions in major economies could influence the global currency landscape in the coming months.