Russia to retaliate to EU sanctions - Russian envoy to EU

MOSCOW. Feb 24 (Interfax) - Russia's Permanent Representative to the European Union Vladimir Chizhov has said during a meeting with Secretary General of the European External Action Service (EEAS) Stefano Sannino that renewed EU sanctions are illegitimate and noted that any such actions of the union will be reciprocated.

"The Russian part stressed the illegitimate and indefinite nature of such unilateral measures, which can only aggravate the already complicated situation in EU-Russia relations. The partners were warned that such a line would inevitably encounter retaliatory steps from the Russian side," the Russian Permanent Mission to the EU said in a statement following the meeting between Chizhov and Sannino.

Chizhov outlined Russia's assessments of the situation surrounding the Ukrainian crisis during the meeting, "elaborating on the reasons that required our country's leadership to decide to recognize the independence of the Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic and then to conduct a special military operation," the statement said.

The EEAS representative, in turn, said that the situation in Ukraine and Russia-EU relations will be thoroughly discussed at the upcoming meeting of the European Council on Thursday evening with the possible adoption of a political decision on the imposition of additional restrictions.

The EU officially imposed sanctions on a number of Russian senior officials, State Duma deputies and financial institutions on Thursday night.