SOCHI, November 5. /TASS/. Russia responds to Western sanctions not thoughtlessly, but with benefit and advantage for itself, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters on the sidelines of the 21st meeting of the international discussion club Valdai.

"Under pressure from the United States, the will of European, Western European states has snapped, and they began to impose sanctions against us to their own detriment. Accordingly, we began to respond [to sanctions] to our advantage, to respond not thoughtlessly, not in a way that would simply hurt them, but so that they, on the one hand, would feel it, but first of all, so that it would be beneficial to us," Zakharova said, commenting on Russia's attitude to the sanctions policy of the West.

The diplomat noted that Moscow did everything to fulfil the potential of bilateral economic ties with European countries.

"But since this door was closed there, even slammed shut, and maybe even nailed shut, so to speak, with American nails, well, we will not offend ourselves," the diplomat concluded.