MOSCOW, August 11 (Sputnik) - The pressures posed by the European Union and the United States against countries in Central Asia over the issue of Russian sanctions is undermining the implementation of projects in the region, Dmitry Birichevsky, the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry's economic cooperation department, told Sputnik.

"Indeed, the US and the EU have been recently rapidly increasing pressure on independent countries friendly to us in the Central Asian region, forcing them to join Russia sanctions and curtail trade and economic cooperation with our country," Birichevsky said.

"Such actions of the US and its satellites are a gross interference in the bilateral relations of our states that, in fact, violate the free right to build an independent foreign policy and foreign economic line and jeopardizes the implementation of mutually beneficial projects in the region of Central Asia," the official said.

European Council President Charles Michel earlier said the European Union wanted to engage in a dialog with Central Asian countries on compliance with Russia sanctions but is ready to take measures against those who help circumvent them.

Michel added at the time that sanctions will be imposed against those countries that provide support to Russia, which the EU may regard as assistance to the Russian defense sector. However, the president reaffirmed the EU prefers dialog on this matter and is not going to use "extraterritorial measures."