EU Lawmaker Says US Sanctions Push Russia Closer To China

The United States, and by proxy Europe, is losing its grip as sanctions continue to bring Moscow and Beijing closer together, Nicolas Bay, a member of the European parliament from the French National Rally party, told Sputnik

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th March, 2021) The United States, and by proxy Europe, is losing its grip as sanctions continue to bring Moscow and Beijing closer together, Nicolas Bay, a member of the European parliament from the French National Rally party, told Sputnik.

"It's been 30 years since the Cold War is over; it's time that Washington starts acting accordingly. But this is not in the interest of the Americans who continue feeding the antagonism, henceforth unfounded. This position that especially is aimed at maintaining their influence on the European countries, especially through NATO, could end up costing them a lot as after having sincerely lent a hand to the West, Moscow is now turning more and more to Beijing," Bay said when asked about the risks inherent in absence of US-Russia dialogue.

The European lawmaker noted that the Russian-Chinese rapprochement would no longer be easy for Washington to manage, as it was losing its momentum.

As for the European bloc, Bay stressed that the EU would not follow the US lead with tougher sanctions against Russia.

"Obviously not. This is especially true for my country, France, which has suffered a lot more from the sanctions imposed on Russia than Russia itself - I notably think about the agricultural sector.

Instead of finding a balance point and its own voice, the EU systematically and totally irrationally puts itself in the fold of the US. The European nations, therefore, cut themselves from Russia while it is their natural cultural, diplomatic and trade partner," the lawmaker carried on.

On March 2, the European Union slapped sanctions on several Russian officials over now jailed-opposition figure Alexey Navalny. The United States followed suit with sanctions of its own that same day. Russia dismissed the restrictions as another hostile lunge against it.

Relations between Russia and the West deteriorated in 2014 under then-US President Barack Obama during the crisis in Ukraine, when Washington accused Moscow of meddling in Ukraine's affairs and imposed sanctions. Since then, the United States has expanded and tightened the sanctions regime following accusations of Russia's alleged meddling in the 2016 US presidential election.

Russia has repeatedly denied interfering in Ukraine and in the US political system.