MOSCOW, April 3. /TASS/. Attempts by the West to arrange a trade blockade for Russia failed - Moscow significantly increased trade turnover with friendly countries, replacing the lost volumes, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said on Wednesday.

He said expanding ties with promising partners from friendly countries is one of Russia's priorities.

"We managed to stop the West’s attempts to set up a blockade of Russian foreign trade. Trade turnover with friendly countries has not only grown, but today it is comparable to the volume of Russia’s trade with the whole world four years ago," Mishustin said.

The Prime Minister recalled that the government approved the strategy for the development of foreign economic activity, which takes into account all modern trends in the world economy and is designed until the end of the decade. In addition, the system of support for non-resource, non-energy exports of industrial and agricultural goods has been rebuilt, he added. The authorities helped entrepreneurs to redirect the flow of goods.

"The decline in trade turnover with the European Union was largely offset by increased trade with China, India, Turkey, Belarus, Kazakhstan, the United Arab Emirates, Africa, and Latin America. The share of friendly countries increased to 77%," he said, citing statistics.