MOSCOW, May 29 (RIA Novosti) – The success of the recent St. Petersburg International Economic Forum has proven that attempts to isolate Russia are futile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday.
“Recently, Russian President Vladimir Putin said answering a similar question that it was impossible to isolate such country as Russia, that it was an unrealistic task,” Lavrov said.
“To have an idea of whether Russia could have been isolated, it is sufficient to attend the latest St. Petersburg International Economic Forum and to see the great number of guests from various foreign countries and to feel the atmosphere of the event,” he said.
He said the forum’s atmosphere was characterized by practical approaches and a sense of humor.
“The combination of these two factors, in my opinion, will give an answer to the question whether efforts to isolate Russia have succeeded,” Lavrov said.
US President Barack Obama said Wednesday that the United States had played a key role in isolating Moscow on the international arena following Russia’s reunification with Crimea.
The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), an annual gathering of political and business leaders, opened last week for the 18th time, uncompromised by Western sanctions against Russia.
Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Arkady Dvorkovich said on the sidelines of the forum that foreign investors are not walking away from their contracts with Russia over recently imposed sanctions, but considering optimizing their financial structure.
On March 16, Crimea held a referendum which saw over 96 percent of voters back reunification with Russia. Following the vote, Crimea declared independence from Ukraine and became part of Russia.
The move triggered sharp criticism and a series of targeted sanctions against dozens of Russian officials and companies, as most of the international community believed that Russia had violated Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
Moscow insists the Crimea referendum fully complied with international law and the UN Charter. The Russian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly condemned Washington’s aggressive position and the language of threats and sanctions, which Moscow considers counterproductive.
