BERLIN, April 10. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia “will adequately respond to sanctions of the West, if need be,” Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov said in Berlin on Thursday. He is currently taking part in the international East Forum in the German capital.

He noted that the international business community rejected the idea that it is necessary to use the language of sanctions in dealing with Russia.

“Medium and large businesses reject the idea that it is possible to use the language of sanctions with Russia,” Shuvalov noted. “At the same time, everybody realizes, and we confirm this, that if the expansion of sanctions occurs, the Russian government would have to respond.”

Russia “will adequately respond to sanctions of the West, if need be,” Shuvalov emphasized.

“Sanctions cannot make Russia act in a certain way. We will look for ways to protect our interests,” he said.

“No threats will make either President Vladimir Putin or other political forces act as the United States, Germany and other partners want,” Shuvalov stressed. “The more they call for sanctions and the tougher they act, the more the Russian society will get mobilized and consolidated.”

“Sanctions will harm all countries,” he said. At the same time, “it is clear that we will have to take corresponding action in order to save our economy,” the Russian first deputy PM said.

 

Shuvalov meets Steinmeier

Shuvalov said he had held a separate meeting in Berlin with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. “We discussed economic interaction matters,” he said. “The most important thing — I tried to explain that no intimidation by countries of the West, including Germany, will help to change Russia’s stance,” the first deputy prime minister noted.

“Sanctions cannot be a real lever of influence on Russia to make it take certain decisions,” Shuvalov noted. “We are ready to discuss the most complicated problems at the negotiating table, only if Russia’s interests as an equal partner are respected.” “We are interested no less than the West in prosperity of the Ukrainian nation, Ukrainian economy,” he said. “The interests of Russia and the West in Ukraine should not be set against each other, we are linked with Ukraine historically and economically and will support in every possible way the events there that would help Ukraine to overcome the chaos as soon as possible,” the Russian first deputy prime minister said.