The sanctions announced by the European Union will “inevitably result in an increase in prices in the energy market in Europe”, said Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), according to AFP and Reuters, and quoted by Agerpres.

“Creating obstacles in energy cooperation with Russia” is “a reckless and irresponsible position”, the Russian MFA noted. The institution is also critical, in an unusually drastic way, of EU policy.

“EU’s policy today is no longer based on verifiable facts, but is dictated by Washington”, said the Russian MFA, adding that these “anti-Russian sanctions illustrates EU’s inability to play an autonomous role in world affairs.”

This reaction comes after EU ambassadors have reached an agreement, for the first time, to impose economic sanctions on Russia as a result of its involvement in the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

And Washington on Tuesday announced new sanctions against Russia, which led the Russian MFA to warn that U.S. and its “destructive” and with no prospects politics could have for Washington “very real” consequences.