MOSCOW, October 14 (RIA Novosti) – Attempts to severe economic ties between Russia and the European Union will not contribute to successful business activities, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday.
“An attempt to severe these economic relations will not contribute to successful business activities. I hope that the majority of other businessmen, who represent their companies not only in Russia but also in neighboring states, understand it, and understand it because of their personal experience,” he said.
The minister said that those who make such decisions “need to be explained that such games with the economy are inadmissible.”
“It [the economy] won’t tolerate such games,” he added.
Russia’s top diplomat reiterated that Moscow was not planning to discuss preconditions for the removal of Western sanctions.
“We see the restrictions, imposed by the European Union, as illegal actions that contribute neither to de-escalation of the conflict, nor to the protection of the Ukrainian people. Naturally, we are not planning to discuss any preconditions for having these sanctions lifted. They must be canceled by those who imposed them,” he said.
Earlier last week, speaking about the possible removal of anti-Russian sanctions Lavrov reiterated that Russia did not choose this path and the decision to lift the restrictive measures rested with those who opted to "use this illegal instrument".
Several rounds of economic sanctions have been introduced against Russia by the European Union and the United States over Russia’s alleged involvement in the Ukrainian crisis - a claim Moscow has repeatedly denied. The sanctions particularly targeted defense, energy and banking sectors of the Russian economy.
Russia has repeatedly said that sanctions "threaten international peace and stability" and run counter to the principles of international law.
