LONDON, August 1. /TASS/. The Western sanctions against Russia have not demonstrated the efficiency their authors expected, former British Ambassador to Russia Anthony Brenton, who served in the country in 2004-2008, told TASS.

"They have not been as effective as the West hoped that they would be. Russia's economy is actually growing faster than the British economy at the moment. The ruble, as I understand it, is reasonably stable. So they have not been very effective," he said.

"But they have undoubtedly hurt certain aspects of the Russian economy. And we have heard complaints from Russians about the way they have been implemented, unsurprisingly," Brenton added.

The former ambassador suggested that the lifting of sanctions could only be seen in the event of the end of the conflict in Ukraine, and even in this case it would be a gradual process. "I suspect, if we do get to the point of negotiating a peaceful end to the war, part of that negotiation will be what happens with sanctions. And I don't think they will all be lifted instantly. But if we establish an agreement and begin to make progress towards mending relations, then lifting sanctions, piece by piece, I suspect will become part of this agreement," he said.