MOSCOW, December 2. /TASS/. Russia is not refusing to cooperate with the West while also developing relations with countries in the East, Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said on Tuesday.

“We have always combined the Western vector with the Eastern one, where China has a dominant position,” Lukashevich said. “The president’s last visit has confirmed that potential for our cooperation is growing.”

“Despite extensive development in the Eastern direction, we are not refusing to cooperate with the West,” he added. “It's not our fault that this cooperation has taken such forms. We hope our Western partners will become aware of this mistaken policy.”