Moscow claims EU sanctions are

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Moscow has signalled that it will hit back at the European Union's 21st sanctions package, with foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova saying a response will be announced soon and arguing that measures aimed at Russian energy partnerships pose a threat to global markets, according to TASS. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov pushed the same line from the other direction, claiming that the package is inflicting serious damage on Europe's own economy and social sphere. The two statements together frame the Russian position as one of confidence rather than concession: the sanctions are cast as self-harm for the bloc, with retaliation still to be specified. On the European side the package is not settled. The Financial Times reports that a carve-out granted for Greek shipping has pushed the EU to reconsider parts of its sanctions regime, which gives Moscow's claims of an incoherent or costly package a point of leverage. Market signals so far do not show visible strain in Russia, with TASS noting that the MOEX index closed 2.18 percent higher. The content and timing of the promised Russian response remain unannounced, as does the scope of any EU revision arising from the shipping exemption.

The European Union has adopted a 21st package of sanctions against Russia, extending restrictions that include measures touching Russian energy partnerships. Moscow routinely responds to such packages with countermeasures of its own, and Russian officials, in this case foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, publicly contest both the legality and the effectiveness of the restrictions, as reported by TASS. A recurring argument from the Russian side is that the sanctions damage European economies and destabilise global energy markets more than they hurt Russia. Within the EU, individual member states have sought exemptions for sectors of national importance, and the Financial Times reports that a carve-out for Greek shipping has prompted the bloc to reconsider parts of the regime. The MOEX index, Russia's main stock benchmark, is one of the indicators cited in Russian state media to gauge the impact of each new package.