MOSCOW, May 31. /TASS/. Attempts to hobble the development of sovereign countries by subjecting them to sanctions and isolation are essentially a declaration of war against these countries, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki said on Wednesday as he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin.

"It cannot be denied that the so-called containment of economic, military, technological, informational, cultural, institutional growth and development of free peoples and countries is essentially nothing else but a declaration of war. <...> Demonization, isolation, interference, political sabotage, development of provocations and crises, sanctions, flagrant violations of international law, including overt military invasions - free peoples and countries should not submit to such interference," the Eritrean president said.