Russia mulls tit-for-tat response to possible renewal of sanctions

Russia might extend and tighten import restrictions against Western countries if they would renew their sanctions on Moscow, Russian officials said Thursday.

"We are considering quite a wide range of actions, depending on which decisions will be made by the European Union," Russian presidential aide Andrei Belousov was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

Belousov did not further explain what steps Moscow would take, only warning that "no option could be ruled out."

The West has introduced several rounds of sanctions against Moscow in response to Russia's takeover of Crimea and its alleged role in the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine. Enditem