MOSCOW, April 28. /ITAR-TASS/. The unilateral sanctions against Russia imposed by the United States are illegitimate and run counter to the rules of civilised communication, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said.

“We strongly condemn the announced set of measures aimed at trying to put pressure on Russia by means of sanctions. Unilateral exterritorial sanctions are illegitimate in nature. Not only do they not conform to the norms of civilised interstate communication and the practice of international relations, but they also run counter to international law,” the diplomat told ITAR-TASS on Monday, April 28.

“By making this decision, the United States was guided by absolutely distorted and unfounded perceptions regarding the events in Ukraine and around it. Washington is pouring oil on the flames but has done nothing, has not taken even one step to bring its proteges in Kiev to their senses. The new attempt at diktat and ultimatum undertaken by America against us will add no chance for a constructive resolution of the problems. The demands the protesters are putting forth in the eastern regions of Ukraine are absolutely legitimate. Instead of exerting pressure and making attempts to impose certain solutions, the United States should get preoccupied with more intensive and substantive work with its clients in Kiev in order to normalise the situation,” Ryabkov said.

“Unfortunately, we have to talk not only about sanctions against certain Russian individuals and companies but also about the revival of the seemingly bygone practice of restrictions on normal high-tech cooperation. Washington is basically restoring COCOM, the Cold War-era method of limiting normal cooperation, thus driving itself into the darkest and dustiest corner of the past epoch. This is not a 21st century policy. This is a reflection of the fact that people remain trapped by their own phantoms and perceptions and probably nostalgia for the long-gone world,” the diplomat said.

“Once again we can see that these steps are being taken by those who determine the Russian policy in the United States out of their own helplessness. They will certainly not achieve the goals they are seeking. The situation will deteriorate. We will respond, and this will not be our choice. But we cannot leave this without reaction, practical reaction based on our own decisions. The US behavior is becoming challenging in this respect,” Ryabkov said.