Russia May Stop Cooperating With US On Global Issues Like ISIS, Foreign Ministry Hints

Russia has condemned fresh U.S. sanctions against its companies. The Russian Foreign Ministry said that the United States was trying to aggravate tensions with Moscow.

The Russian ministry said that the U.S. move would not be left without reaction. The ministry hinted in a statement that Washington continued to use the Ukraine situation as an excuse.

“Having imposed new sanctions against Russian citizens and companies, the U.S. has once again demonstrated that it has opted for aggravating confrontation,” Russia Today said in quoting the statement. “Continuing to cite the situation in Ukraine, Washington continues to expand the anti-Russia sanction campaign, instead of pushing Kiev towards the implementation of Minsk agreements.”

According to Russia, such “provocations” are going to harm relations between Russia and the United States. In addition, it will also damage the bilateral cooperation between the countries on solving other global issues.

Russia and Washington have worked together for years on securing the Iran nuclear deal. The countries have recently declared that NASA and its Russian counterpart, Roscosmos, would work together on building a new space station since the International Space Station will likely stop operating in 2024 or 2028.

If Russia stops cooperating with Washington on global issues, it may not help the fight against international terrorism. Even though Russia and the United States have many political differences, both the Kremlin and Washington have agreed to fight together against terrorist forces like ISIS.

U.S. authorities imposed fresh sanctions against Russia Thursday over the crisis in Crimea and eastern Ukraine. The sanctions targeted 15 more Russian companies, including a number of organizations connected to Vnesheconombank, a major Russian state corporation. It also targeted affiliates of Russian oil giant Rosneft.