Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said that imposing an embargo on Russian gas is unproductive when European countries have other opportunities for new sanctions against Russia.

"We have always talked about sanctions, that they should strike at whom they are aimed at, and not come back to us like a boomerang," ORF television channel said, cited the official, specifying that they were talking about gas supplies.

According to him, in addition to the gas embargo, "there are enough other opportunities where [the EU] could tighten the sanctions valve."

Schallenberg said that he expects the adoption of new sanctions against Russia in the near future, and that the EU is working on a new package of sanctions, which "presumably will be approved this week."

Earlier, President of the European Council Charles Michel said the EU authorities are preparing for new sanctions against Russia.