ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Russia's foreign ministry on Thursday described ongoing US sanctions on Russian companies, including those operating in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region's oil and gas sector, as "illegitimate," arguing that unilateral restrictions are aimed at protecting American economic interests rather than enforcing international law.
Asked by Rudaw’s Niyaz Mustafa whether Moscow had discussed with Washington the removal of sanctions affecting Russian energy companies that have halted activities in Iraqi and Kurdistan Region oilfields, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova reiterated Russia's longstanding opposition to Western sanctions.
"Our principal position regarding the legitimate sanctions remains the same. Any unilateral actions made within some group of countries, which are not based on Security Council resolutions, are illegitimate," Zakharova said during a press briefing.
She argued that the restrictions serve as "another tool for unfair competition for the fight of markets and logistics" and are designed to protect the economic interests of the countries imposing them.
"The problem of removing sanctions are on the shoulders of those countries who initiated the sanctions," she said, adding that citizens and businesses in sanctioning countries should pressure their governments over the economic costs of the restrictions.
She stressed that Moscow remains open to "mutually beneficial and respectful cooperation."
The United States and its allies have imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The measures target major Russian banks, energy firms, defense companies, and individuals, aiming to restrict Russia's access to global financial markets, technology, and investment.
Several major Russian energy companies, including Rosneft, have held significant interests in oil and gas projects across the Kurdistan Region. Rosneft signed a series of agreements with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in 2017, investing in oil production and pipeline infrastructure.
Western sanctions have complicated the operations of Russian firms abroad, affecting their access to international financing, technology, and partnerships. While most Russian energy projects in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region have not been directly targeted by US sanctions, broader restrictions on Russian entities have increased operational and financial challenges.
Zakharova said Russia has responded to sanctions with countermeasures while simultaneously seeking to strengthen its economic self-sufficiency and independence.