FILE PHOTO - National flags of Russia and the U.S. fly at Vnukovo International Airport in Moscow, Russia April 11, 2017. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

MOSCOW (Reuters) - New U.S. sanctions against Moscow will be hard for Russia but do more damage to the United States and Europe, RIA news agency cited a senior Russian lawmaker as saying on Sunday.

U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said earlier on Sunday that Washington was preparing new sanctions against Russia over its support for Syrian President Bashar-al Assad.

Evgeny Serebrennikov, deputy head of the defense committee of Russia’s upper house of parliament, said Moscow was ready for the new penalties.

“They are hard for us, but will do more damage to the USA and Europe,” RIA quoted Serebrennikov as saying.