MUNICH, February 17. /TASS/. Washington will promote its interests in Europe under the pretense of restraining Russia, and the sanction spiral, winded by the U.S., hinders the business cooperation between Russia and Germany, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a meeting with Russian and German businesses on sidelines of the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.
"We understand, the main hinder for building up the business cooperation is the very sanction spiral, which the U.S. has winded," the minister said. "Europe has to pay the bills, yes, this is so, but another unbiased factor is the beginning acknowledgement this position is abnormal."
"We understand, here are economic interests, and the Americans would not hide they want to promote their interests, first of all under the pretense of restraining Russia," Lavrov said.
Moscow is for having the relations between Russia and Germany "even with the ambiguity of the approaches to certain political problems, are based on realistic national interests both of Germany and of Russia," the foreign minister said. "We shall continue doing everything to have businesses, including the German business, feel comfortable in Russia.".