SOCHI (Sputnik) — Moscow will never accept a world order that prioritizes attempts to deter Russia's development, President Vladimir Putin said Saturday.
"Thank God, nobody is waging a war against our country, but there are, certainly, attempts to deter our development by various means," Putin said, addressing the 9th Congress of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia.
He said that Russia would never accept such world order, pointing out that the country was not intending to be at war with anyone and was willing to cooperate.
Putin reiterated that sanctions against Russia would never have the desired effect, although they do have a negative impact on the country's economy.
"We must realize this, and make all possible efforts to strengthen our sovereignty, including in the economic sphere," Putin stressed.
Moscow has become a target of several rounds of sanctions imposed by the European Union and the United States over the role Russia allegedly played in the escalation of tensions in Ukraine. Russia has repeatedly denied any involvement in the Ukrainian crisis and urged to resolve the conflict peacefully.
Western sanctions targeted the banking, finance and energy sectors of the country's economy, as well as certain individuals. The restrictive measures have been cited as one of the factors that contributed to Russia's current economic slowdown, alongside low oil prices.
Last week, EU foreign ministers decided to keep in force the existing sanctions against Russia until September 2015. EU member states failed to impose new sanctions as Greece spoke against additional measures.
