The Kremlin warned on Sunday that tougher European sanctions on Russia will backfire, causing greater economic pain for Europe itself.

Axar.az, citing Reuters, reports that Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Russia had grown resistant to such "illegal" sanctions, calling them a double-edged sword.

Western sanctions were imposed after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, making it the most sanctioned major economy.

Though Russia’s economy contracted in 2022, it grew faster than the EU in 2023 and 2024, with 4.3% growth in 2024 compared to 0.9% for the eurozone, President Vladimir Putin noted.

The European Commission proposed new sanctions on June 10, targeting Russian energy, banks, and military industries. While the EU seeks to pressure Moscow into peace talks, Peskov said only logic and negotiation, not sanctions, would bring Russia to the table.

Despite expectations of more EU sanctions, the U.S. has so far held off on further tightening its own measures.