GENEVA, June 6, 2023 (BSS/TASS) - The Russian delegation at the WTO stated on Monday that the EU had harmed itself by sanctioning Russia.

The delegation made the comments during a discussion of the EU's trade policy review at the WTO headquarters.

One of the trade representatives told reporters on condition of anonymity that the Russian delegation criticized Brussels for opting for "political emotions." Brussels did not respond to a significant number of written questions sent to it as part of the preparation for the trade policy review, thus "blatantly violating the rules of the organization."

Moscow also expressed bewilderment at the "strange EU penchant for harming itself" and the EU's disregard for the consequences of its moves for other WTO members. Among the direct consequences of anti-Russian sanctions, the Russian delegation named "disruptions in world trade caused by EU actions, including a sharp rise in commodity prices, increased inflation, and growing uncertainty."