BERN, October 20. /TASS/. Today this is not the first time in Russia’s history when third forces create obstacles for it to develop mutually beneficial cooperation with Europe, Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko said at the opening of the Russian Economic and Financial Forum in Switzerland.
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"There is such an impression that when Russia and Europe start achieving new mutually beneficial cooperation, third forces immediately intervene. We already had such experience in our history," Matviyenko said.
The upper house speaker reminded that after the Soviet Union and Germany signed a milestone "gas for pipes" deal in 1970, the United States imposed embargo on trade with the USSR and then placed medium-range nuclear missiles in Europe under this pretext.
"We always regretted and did not understand these situations," Matviyenko said, stressing that talking to Russia from the position of strength has no prospect.
The sanctions are used for containing Russia economically and to cut off channels for economic and financial cooperation with Moscow, Matviyenko said. "This shortsighted approach resulted in mutual losses." Europe lost more than $60 billion only during the first year of the sanctions regime, she said, adding that this is a rather "hefty figure.".