NEWSWATCH: Russia ‘may face chaos’ if extra sanctions imposed: Germany

Map of Germany

[“Russia ‘may face chaos’ if extra sanctions imposed: Germany” – AFP – January 4, 2015]

AFP covers a German official’s assessment of the potential impact of additional sanctions on Russia:

Tougher sanctions may destabilise the situation further in Russia and plunge the country into chaos, German deputy chancellor Sigmar Gabriel warned … ‘Whoever wants that will provoke a much more dangerous situation for all of us in Europe,’ he said, pointing out that Russia was a nuclear power.

He reportedly argued that a goal thus far for sanctions was to prod Russia back into negotiations.

Sanctions were leveled in response to Russia’s role in the Ukraine crisis.  The combination of sanctions and falling oil prices have sent the ruble into sharp decline.

The West has repeatedly accused Russia of stoking the Ukraine crisis … supplying weapons and troops to the rebels. Moscow denies the charge.

Sanctions imposed by the European Union and … United States, along with plunging oil prices, have sent the ruble crashing … some 40 percent against the dollar last year.

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