GORKI, February 11. /TASS/. Geopolitical tensions around Moscow are likely to be preserved this year and Western sanctions will remain in force, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Wednesday.

"Geopolitical tensions around Russia will be preserved and economic sanctions against Russia will continue being in force," Medvedev told a cabinet meeting on Russia's 2015 social and economic development.

"Let's wait and see," Medvedev said, while urging the government to devise a conservative forecast so that the revised budget should not largely depend on price fluctuations and external shocks.

The Russian prime minister said the forecast for the country’s economic development will be revised judging from the global economic growth rate at the level of 3.5%.

Russian government intends to adjust the social and economic development forecast, based on the average price of Urals oil at $50 per barrel, Medvedev told the meeting.

Medvedev said Russia needs to assess its financial margin of safety to reduce the influence of negative external factors and fulfill the government’s commitments, including in the social sphere.