MOSCOW, April 28 (Itar-Tass) - RIA Novosti. Sanctions against the Russian Federation are damaging the economy primarily of European countries, while America does not incur large losses, so Europe will try to soften the restrictions against Russia, said Alexei Chepa, deputy chairman of the State Duma's international affairs committee.

Earlier, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said at a press conference following a meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington that Germany was working with the US administration to assess the effect of new anti-Russian sanctions.

"The fact is that sanctions are harmful, of course, to all countries, but primarily to Europe, and cause more damage than the American trade." "In the trade balance of the United States, trade with Russia is only 0.75%, with European countries in including Germany, is much more.The attitude to sanctions in the US and European countries is completely different.Merkel's position is understandable, including dependence on the US is also understandable, so they consistently pursue their position on the issue of mitigation of sanctions, "- said RIA Novosti Chepa .

In early April, the United States imposed new sanctions against the Russian Federation. The list included a number of large Russian businessmen and companies controlled by them, in particular Oleg Deripaska and the En + Group controlled by him, GAZ Group, Basic Element and Rusal, Victor Vekselberg and his Renova Group, and Suleiman Kerimov, Kirill Shamalov, the head of Gazprom Alexei Miller, the head of VTB Andrei Kostin. Adding to the list means blocking assets in the US and banning any business with these companies for US citizens.

Link: https://ria.ru/politics/20180428/1519613975.html