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Russia will cope with sanctions imposed against it, says Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke at a meeting of the Valdai discussion club

NOVO-OGARYOVO, October 22. /TASS/. Russia will be able to cope with the sanctions imposed against it, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting of the Valdai discussion club on Thursday. Commenting on international cooperation in general Putin said that Russia had urged lifting all restrictions in the economy and humanitarian sphere during the coronavirus pandemic.

"We have urged, in particular from the UN platform, lifting all restrictions in the economy and humanitarian sphere, at least for a while, due to humanitarian reasons," he said.

"Now I do not mean sanctions against Russia at all - hell with it. We will cope with this," he said.

Putin stressed that there are many other countries that are still suffering from coronavirus infection and they do not need any assistance from the outside, but they need removal of restrictions "at least in the humanitarian sphere, in the supply of medicines, in credit resources, equipment, exchange of technologies."

"These are purely humanitarian things. But still, they have not abolished any restrictions, hiding behind some considerations that have nothing to do with the humanitarian component, although at the same time everyone is talking about humanism. So we need to be more honest with each other and get rid of all these double standards," Putin said.