MOSCOW (Sputnik) — She added that the mutual lifting of sanctions is a necessary step for the de-escalation of the situation, a "mutual disarmament" and cooperation between Russia and the West.
"The war in Ukraine could have been prevented before or stopped after it broke out without having to break economic relations with Russia. The fundamental solution is the establishment of a common economic space from Lisbon to Vladivostok, under which Ukraine would be able to keep the century-old economic ties with Russia while developing cooperation with the EU countries," Zdanoka said.
Since 2014, relations between Russia and the West have deteriorated amid the crisis in Ukraine. The United States, the European Union and some of their allies have imposed several rounds of sanctions targeting key sectors of the Russian economy over Moscow's alleged involvement in the conflict in eastern Ukraine.