NEW YORK, July 25. /ITAR-TASS/. Western countries should boldly revise their approach to Russia if it does not change its stance on Ukraine, British Prime Minister David Cameron told New York Daily News on Friday.

“The tragic loss of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 must prove a catalyst for changing Russia’s approach and ending the conflict in Ukraine,” he said. “The context for this tragedy is clear. Russia has been attempting to destabilize a sovereign state, violate its territorial integrity.”

If Russia does not change its approach to Ukraine, “Europe and the West must fundamentally change our approach to Russia” where America has already led the way” with Britain “urging our European partners to step up with further hard-hitting economic sanctions”, the Prime Minister said.

“Of course, such sanctions are not pain-free” as “Russia does a great deal of business with Europe, something that benefits us all,” he said. “Russian investors make a significant contribution to our economies and Russian gas is an important source of energy for many, especially those who do not have significant supplies of nuclear power. So hurting Russia economically will carry some pain for our own economies too.” But “serious economic measures are the only language that Russia will understand”, said Cameron.