Russian President Vladimir Putin said new Western sanctions against Russia were intended to disrupt peace efforts in Eastern Ukraine and that Moscow was considering retaliatory measures.
“The sanctions looked a bit strange in view of the peace drive including a ceasefire,” Putin said, speaking to journalists after a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization security bloc, World Bulletin reported.
“When the situation is moving towards a peaceful resolution, steps are taken which are aimed at disrupting of the peace process,” said Putin in Dushanbe, capital of the former Soviet republic of Tajikistan in Central Asia.
“We’ve long been convinced that sanctions as an instrument of foreign policy are inefficient and practically never bring about their desired result, even in relation to small countries. Of course a policy of sanctions inflicts certain damage, including to those who use them,” Putin said.
