MOSCOW, April 1. /TASS/. Russia will respond to any hostile actions from the EU, and the response will not necessarily be symmetrical, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview Thursday.

"We have always warned that we are ready to respond. We will respond to any hostile actions against us - not necessarily in a symmetrical manner," the Minister said.

Commenting on a journalist’s remark that Europe probably simply forgot about Moscow’s ability to respond to the pressure, Lavrov noted: "What you’re saying, figuratively, is that they have either not read or, more likely, have forgotten the tale of Ilya of Murom, who slept on the stove and nobody noticed?"

The Minister underscored that "this is not a threat," adding that Russia reacts to restrictions in a manner, similar to that of China.

"Mind you, China did not respond with severance of economic activity. It simply sanctioned persons and companies that spoke from anti-Chinese positions too loudly. We act somewhat similarly," Lavrov said.