BERLIN: Europe must be prepared to respond in kind if the United States’ proposed new sanctions against Russia end up hurting its companies, an influential German industry association said on Thursday.

The German Committee on East European Economic Relations also said the measures passed last week by the US House of Representatives seemed designed to boost America’s own energy exports to Europe.

The European Union fears new US restrictions could be an obstacle to its companies doing business with Russia and threaten the bloc’s energy supply lines but the 28-country bloc is divided over how to respond.

Germany’s economy minister meanwhile said Washington had abandoned the common line it had with Europe over Russia, which has already had sanctions imposed by the United States and European Union over its role in the Ukraine crisis.

Anger is growing in Germany at the tougher sanctions backed last week by US lawmakers seeking to punish Moscow for allegedly meddling in last year’s US presidential election.

However, two sources in Brussels told Reuters last week that Germany is urging the EU to add up to four more Russian nationals and companies to its sanctions blacklist over Siemens SIEGn.DE gas turbines delivered to Moscow-annexed Crimea.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2017