"As for the new list of sanctions from the European Union, if they are passed, there will undoubtedly be a reaction from our side," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

The statement was issued after the EU said the new economic sanctions will come into effect on Monday but could be later suspended if Moscow pulls out troops from east Ukraine.

Russia criticized the EU for drafting fresh sanctions despite a truce agreed in Belarus, which went into effect in east Ukraine on Saturday.

The Russian ministry also said that by announcing the sanctions, the EU "is practically sending a signal of direct support to the 'party of war' in Kiev, which is not happy with the results of the Minsk meeting."

"Instead of feverishly searching for ways to hurt the economies of its own countries and Russia, the European Union would do better to work on supporting the economic revival of the Donbass region" in east Ukraine, the ministry added.

The new sanctions will reportedly target another 24 people, adding their names to the list of people banned from entering the bloc and freezing their assets.

On Friday, US President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron said at a NATO summit in Wales that the sanctions should be approved despite the earlier truce.

Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin said those countries that have imposed sanctions against Moscow over the crisis in Ukraine will be affected the most by the consequences of the bans.

Western powers and the Kiev government accuse Moscow of having a hand in the crisis in eastern Ukraine, which erupted when Kiev launched military operations in April to silence pro-Russia protests. Russia denies the accusation.

RA/SHI