Russia says it's business as usual, EU sanctions extension changes nothing

The European Union's economic sanctions against Russia will be extended for another six months, European Council President Donald Tusk has said. The measures targeting Russia's economy were due to expire next month.

"The EU unanimously prolongs economic sanctions against Russia given zero progress in implementation of Minsk agreements," Tusk said on Twitter.

Predictably, you'll find that it's not Russia violating the Minsk agreements, it's Ukraine.

The prolongation of the sanctions changes nothing for Russia, according to Anatoly Aksakov, the head of the financial market committee of the State Duma (lower chamber of Russia's parliament).

"We need to take care of ourselves, to work. We understand that this is for a long time and nothing will change in half a year or a year, and I do not rule out that in 10 years.

"Nevertheless, the Europeans might soon understand that this is ridiculous and will change their position," Aksakov said.
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Last month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the main bone of contention between the EU and Russia - sanctions - was imposed by the European nations "on direct orders" from Washington. He noted that while the restrictions policy did not harm the US, the EU suffered billions in losses.

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He added that Russia, which had to retaliate with tit-for-tat measures, was ready to lift the restrictions it imposed on European goods back in 2014. However, Brussels should make the first step, Lavrov stressed, saying "We hope that common sense will eventually prevail since, objectively speaking, the sanctions neither benefit Russia nor the EU."

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When the US lends money to African nations or invests into the continent, everything is fair and beneficial to all sides, but when other nations do so, it is practically colonialism 2.0, Washington's new Africa Strategy says.

US President Donald Trump's National Security Advisor, John Bolton blasted Beijing and Moscow for pursuing "predatory practices" in Africa which "stunt economic growth" and "threaten the financial independence of African nations."

China uses "bribes, opaque agreements" to hold African countries "captive to Beijing's wishes and demands," while Moscow's exploits are not much better, the official argued. But it is apparently a whole different story when American money is involved.

"We ask only for reciprocity, never for subservience," Bolton proclaimed in a keynote speech on Washington's Africa Strategy on Thursday, calling the US "the least imperial power in the history of the world."

Try not to snicker. Bet ya can't!

However, unlike China's leader Xi Jinping who visited Africa nine times to promote large investment projects, the White House had seemed so far more eager to deploy its army in the continent - as the US troops are stationed in 50 out of 54 African states.

The US renewed interest in Africa is "a cynical geopolitical strategy" aimed more at "trying to maintain the upper hand against Russia and China" than anything else, African affairs analyst, Lawrence Freeman stressed. "The Trump administration does not actually desire to help Africa develop. They see Africa as a pawn on a geopolitical chessboard."

Speaking to RT, Freeman argued that, contrary to Bolton's words, Chinese mega-projects like the Belt and Road Initiative can't be dismissed as 'predatory' because they help African countries to build crucial infrastructure.

For decades, Africa was touted as the 'lost continent' and "written off" mainly because "the US was not providing infrastructure money or doing anything to develop the nation," Ann Lee, an adjunct professor of economics and finance at New York University, told RT. "Now that China actually turns Africa into the fastest-growing continent, the US basically feels like they need to do a catch-up."

Professor Lee noted that Chinese investments make African nations "wealthier," saying that the kind of "arm-twisting" the US tends to employ "to get concessions is probably not going to win any friends."

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