Russia shrugs off EU ban on aluminum imports, to seek alternative buyers

Russian Industry and Trade Minister Anton Alikhanov on Thursday shrugged off the likely impact of an European Union ban on primary aluminum imports from Russia, the state news agency TASS reported.

It cited him as saying that Moscow had itself cut its aluminum supplies to Europe in recent years and would look for other buyers.

EU envoys agreed a 16th package of sanctions on Russia on Wednesday over Ukraine. The package is expected to be adopted by the bloc’s foreign ministers on Monday.

“I think it (the ban) is not particularly sensitive. Given the fact that we have been reducing supplies there for the last few years. We will look for substitute markets,” TASS quoted Alikhanov as saying.

(By Anastasia Teterevleva; Editing by Andrew Osborn)

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