TOMSK, October 31. /TASS/. The West has started an economic war against Russia to force it to give up its independent development, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev said at a meeting in Tomsk.
"Instead of predictability and stability in the development of trade and economic relations, joint development of decisions in the economic area, the countries of the collective West led by the United States have unleashed an economic war against Russia," he said.
"They have already introduced several packages of illegitimate sanctions against our country. They are currently preparing the 12th package. They have deliberately restricted our access to critical and advanced technologies. First of all, that affects electronic components, high-tech machine building, aircraft building, shipbuilding, equipment and technologies for the fuel and energy industry," Patrushev said.
The official said the goal of Western countries is "to hold back Russia's development, weaken its industrial capabilities, and, essentially, to force it to give up its right to choose its own, independent path of development."
He said that in the modern-day world, technological sovereignty is one of the main factors ensuring the country's defense and security, intensive social and economic development. Patrushev reminded the meeting’s attendees that Russia "for a long time tried to build itself into international technological chains, created conditions for mutually beneficial economic cooperation, and committed to grant access to its market to foreign suppliers."