ROME, March 06. /ITAR-TASS/. US intentions to impose sanctions against Russia are already a threat, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry in the Italian capital on Thursday.

“I drew attention of the US State Secretary as I did so yesterday in Paris that non-stop fuelling of atmosphere continues, some restrictive lists against Russian citizens to be banned to enter the United States were announced,” the minister said. “Kerry assured us that there are no lists yet, there is an instruction, but this does not change the situation. There are also threats to freeze activity in the Group of Eight and the Russia-NATO Council,” Lavrov said.

“These structures are needed for us no more than for our partners and no more than for the world community which is quite interested in normal dialogue between Russia and the West, without any attempts of ultimatums and attempts of unilateral demands to change our position,” Lavrov noted.

“Our president has laid out absolutely clearly our position in this case with Ukraine. This position enjoys broad understanding in the world. Unfortunately, information background is filled with unilateral semi-hysterical assessments,” the Russian foreign minister noted.

“I said this once again to Kerry and he understands this that this hardly helps normal work under the threat of ultimatums and sanctions,” Lavrov added.