Lavrov on Western Sanctions: Lifting Them is Up to Those Who Imposed Them

MOSCOW– Speaking about the possible removal of sanctions against Russia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday that the matter was for Western states to decide.

“Sanctions is the business of our western colleagues, the business of the countries that decided to use this illegal instrument for some reason, possibly just to take their frustration out on us. It’s their problem. We did not choose this path,” he said.

 “We are assisting the implementation of the Minsk agreements no to have the sanctions lifted, it’s a problem of those who imposed them. We do what we do to help normalize the situation in Ukraine, most notably in southeastern Ukraine, as soon as possible. It’s in our national interests to restore peace there,” Russia’s top diplomat said.

US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland said at a meeting with the students of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kiev Tuesday that if the Minsk agreements are fully implemented, the United States could lift a number of sanctions against Russia.

Relations between Russia and the West have deteriorated amid the crisis in Ukraine. The United States and its allies have repeatedly accused Russia of meddling in Ukraine’s internal affairs, sending troops to Ukraine, and went as far as to claim that Moscow planned to invade Ukraine. However, none of these statements were supported with any evidence.

Over the past few months, the United States and its allies, including the European Union, have introduced several rounds of economic sanctions against Russia. In August, Moscow responded to the restrictive measures, implementing a one-year ban on certain food imports from the countries that imposed anti-Russian sanctions.

RIA Novosti

R.S