LONDON, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Britain on Friday joined the European Union's (EU) new package of sanctions on Russia.
Britain and the EU announced on Friday a lowering of the Crude Oil Price Cap, from 60 U.S. dollars a barrel to 47.60 dollars, "directly hitting Russia's oil revenues," according to a statement by Britain's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Britain and the EU are "working in lockstep" to ramp up economic pressure on Russia, the statement added.
The EU approved a new round of sanctions against Russia on Friday, which contains a provision to lower the price cap on Russian oil sold to third countries and measures ensuring that the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea cannot be reactivated.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said Friday that Russia is not ruling out countermeasures following an analysis of the EU's 18th sanctions package.
"Certainly, we will analyze their impact on our economy. We will take measures to safeguard our interests if necessary. And some countermeasures are also possible," the senior diplomat told TASS news agency. ■