All news

Moscow by introducing tit-for-tat measures against EU does everything honestly - Lavrov

Moscow has not initiated the sanctions, nor it is to lift them, Russia’s Foreign Minister added

MOSCOW, February 5. /TASS/. Moscow, while introducing the tit-for-tat measures against the European Union, did everything honestly, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with Austria’s Profil weekly.

"We announced sanctions as a response measure for a very evident reason," he said. "The European sanctions limit opportunities for our banks to receive loans for financing the agricultural sector, which could mean the EU agricultural producers could benefit from the conditions of unfair competition."

"We were to act honestly," he said. "That’s it."

Moscow has not initiated the sanctions, nor it is to lift them, he added.

To the objection about Russian response measures, Lavrov answered rhetorically: "Do you want us to remain under the European sanctions, though lifting ours?".