"Excessive use of economic sanctions has crippled the diplomatic bilateral understanding. Demonization — that is contrary to what diplomacy should do. It only led to the loss of connection and the exclusion of partners [from dialogue]. It is true that the [decision of] economic exclusion of Russia which was adopted by the European countries and the United States during the crisis in Ukraine, only aggravated the situation," de Villepin said at the fifth World Peace Forum held at Beijing's Tsinghua University.
De Villepin noted that the European economy itself has suffered from sanctions.
Since 2014, relations between Russia and the West, including France, deteriorated amid the crisis in Ukraine. Brussels, Washington and their allies have introduced several rounds of anti-Russia sanctions since Crimea reunified with Russia in 2014 and over Moscow's alleged involvement in the Ukrainian conflict. Russia has repeatedly refuted the allegations, warning that the Western sanctions are counterproductive and undermine global stability.
