MOSCOW, November 22. /TASS/. The claims about isolation of Russia are not worth even being discussed, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a meeting of the Council on foreign and domestic policies on Saturday.
“Of course, our economy is damaged by the sanctions, but only at the expense of damages to economies of the countries, which had introduced them,” he said.
“It is equally important actions of the kind ruin the system of international economic relations, the approaches used in their basis.
Purpose of West’s sanctions
The West does not conceal the purpose of the anti-Russia sanctions is in a change of the regime, Sergey Lavrov told.
“They announce openly the sanctions should be ruining the economy and raising people’s protests,” he said.
“The West demonstrates clearly they do not want pressing for changes in the policies, but they want to press for a change of the regime,” the foreign minister said.
“Usual business” will not be possible
Russia is not going to refuse from cooperation with Europe, Russia’s Foreign Minister told.
“Nobody is going “to shoot in the foot”, to refuse from cooperation with Europe, but everyone realises “business as usual” is not possible any longer.
Gap between the U.S. ambitions and realistic opportunities
Many analysts say about a growing gap between the U.S. ambitions and realistic opportunities, Lavrov told.
“We have a million confirmations that all over the world American ambassadors, envoys are insisting on top-level meeting to say - you should be punishing Russia jointly with us,” Lavrov said. “This is done in all countries, no exceptions, including our closest allies.”
“But still, I should say many reasonable politicians realise the growing discrepancy between the U.S. administration’s global ambitions and the realistic opportunities, as the world continues changing,” the foreign minister said.
“The big seven emerging economies have been demonstrating bigger GDP than the Western G7,” Lavrov said.