European countries are tired of the economic confrontation, but expect Russia to take the first steps to lift the sanctions, because they are afraid of Washington’s reaction, said Elena Panina, a member of the State Duma’s international affairs committee.
Earlier, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said that Russia would not be the first to cancel the retaliatory measures imposed in connection with EU sanctions against Moscow. Thus, he answered the question of whether Russia could go on the abolition of counter-sanctions on an initiative basis.
According to Panina, the current “sanctions war” is entirely the result of the policies of the European elites, which went on about the United States of America.
“Europe is tired of the economic confrontation, but is afraid of a shout from Washington and is waiting for the first steps from Russia,” Panina told RIA Novosti.
In her opinion, such a situation is absurd, and the initiative to restore relations should come from the one who brought them to their current level.
“In our cooperation with the EU, tough pragmatism should prevail, and Russia does not make sense to take such steps just for the sake of good relations,” Panina said.
Relations between the Russian Federation and Western countries worsened due to the situation in Ukraine and around Crimea, which reunited with Russia after a referendum on the peninsula in 2014. The West, having accused the Russian Federation of interference, imposed sanctions against it, Moscow took retaliatory measures, headed for import substitution, and more than once stated that talking with her in the language of sanctions is counterproductive. Russia has also repeatedly stated that it is not a party to the conflict in Ukraine and is the subject of Minsk settlement agreements.