Putin: Freedom of business is Russia’s best answer to sanctions

MOSCOW, Dec 25 (PRIME) -- Russia’s best answer to Western sanctions is a wider freedom of business and property protection, President Vladimir Putin said late on Thursday at a meeting with business representatives.

“I have said more than once -- our response to external restrictions is extension of the entrepreneurship’s freedom, protection of ownership and rights of all who works hard and creates his business,” he said.

“We will improve operations of law protection, investigative, and judicial authorities, and, obviously, we will actively develop economic ties with other countries to extend possibilities of the national business.”

In 2014, relations between Russia and the West deteriorated to their worse since the Cold War due to a military conflict in Ukraine. The West introduced sanctions against some Russian individuals and firms and further against the energy and banking sectors. In response, Russia limited food imports from some countries, including the U.S., the E.U., Canada, Australia, and Norway.

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