‘Moscow would regard more U.S. sanctions as economic war’

In this August 7, 2018 file photo, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev speaks during an interview with Russia's Kommersant newspaper at the Gorki state residence outside Moscow, Russia.

Russia would consider it an economic war if the United States imposed a ban on banks or a particular currency, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Friday, the TASS state news agency said.

“I would not like to comment on talks about future sanctions, but I can say one thing: If some ban on banks' operations or on the use of one or another currency follows, it would be possible to clearly call it a declaration of economic war,” Medvedev said.

“And it would be necessary, it would be needed to react to this war economically, politically, or, if needed, by other means. And our American friends need to understand this,” he added.