German Economy Minister Brigitte Zypries asked the European Commission to look into possible countermeasures against the United States, following tough sanctions against Russia that could potentially hit European companies.
”We consider this to be a violation of international law,” Zypries told local newspapers over the weekend. ”The Americans cannot punish German companies because they operate economically in another country. There are (partnerships) for natural gas and petroleum pipelines (in the region),” she said via Google translate.
Zypries further added that Germany doesn’t want a trade war and has repeatedly, and on different levels, urged the Americans not to leave the line of common sanctions.
”Unfortunately, they did. That is why it is right for the EU Commission to take countermeasures now,” she said. Europe is ”ready to take countermeasures in the short term, even in other areas,” Zypries added, without going into detail. Läs artikel