Moscow Describes EU sanctions over Navalny as a "Circus" and previously planned work

The Russian Foreign Ministry described the European Union’s decision to expand sanctions against Russian figures in connection with the Alexei Navalny case, a "circus", saying that what is happening is a pre-planned matter.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement, today, Wednesday, "This (the European Union’s decision) is outside the boundaries of any logic. And when logic is absent, this means that we are dealing with a silly story that was planned in advance, backed by a media campaign.

Earlier, the European Union High Commissioner for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, confirmed that the EU foreign ministers agreed at a meeting on Monday to expand sanctions against figures in Russia due to the situation around Navalny.

In its comment on the European Union’s threat to impose new sanctions against Russia, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that contrary to logic, Brussels first takes a political decision, and then arbitrarily selects its candidates.

Moscow considered the entrenchment of illegal tools in the European Union's foreign policy arsenal, such as warnings, pressure and sanctions, as regrettable.