MOSCOW, June 29. /TASS/. Russia and ASEAN members should join efforts to seek that the practice of imposing illegitimate sanctions, protectionism, and violation of sovereignty is abandoned at the global arena, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said on Tuesday at a round table meeting with representatives of ASEAN political parties.

"We come from the premise that we need to unite efforts of the region, prevent overhaul of universally accepted international law norms, the UN Charter and, of course, pursue rejection of the practice of illegitimate unilateral sanctions, protectionism, and interference in affairs of other states," the politician stressed. 

Medvedev underlined that Russia unwaveringly backs the association’s leading role in addressing key regional issues. "We are trying to do that with actions and not with words. Even though the countries have been facing significant pressure lately as several countries are trying to do that particularly by creating or forming parallel structures that follow the so-called Indo-Pacific patterns when parallel active institutions are formed but by Western molds," he noted.

"It is wrong because ASEAN members should determine themselves their way of development," Medvedev believes. He emphasized that such institutions are usually aimed at impeding development rather than expanding interaction and cooperation.