"We very much count on the period of sanctions nearing its end. There is not a single serious Western politician who believes in any plans of aggression by Russia. We see the yearning to return to the previous broad format of cooperation," Petrov told reporters.
While it is the Baltic States, including Estonia, and Poland that continue to urge for continuing to sanction Russia, local businesses have encountered mounting difficulties after their introduction, he added, stressing that both sides should prepare to end such harmful practices.
"In my understanding, it would be advisable to start preparing for ending the sanctions which are harming both sides in order not to approach the issue empty-handed," the ambassador said.
In 2014, Russia’s relations with the West deteriorated significantly as the crisis in Ukraine escalated, with Crimea rejoining Russia and pro-independence eastern Ukrainian militias rising up against Kiev's rule. The United States and its allies, accusing Moscow of fueling tensions in Ukraine, introduced a series of sanctions against Russia as a punitive measure.
Moscow refuted any involvement in the Ukrainian conflict and imposed a year-long food embargo on the countries that had sanctioned it, which was later prolonged as the sanctions were extended.
