Putin: West to face tit-for-tat retaliation if it extends sanctions

MOSCOW, Apr 14 (PRIME) -- The West is unlikely to lift anti-Russian sanctions soon, and if they are extended, Moscow will also extend retaliatory measures, President Vladimir Putin said during a live Q&A session on Thursday.

“I believe that our partners are unlikely to abolish restrictions against Russia soon although the Minsk agreements are being fulfilled… They cannot admit that they have gone a wrong way, hit a wall, and that is why they will invent something, keep these restrictions,” Putin said.

“It means that we will maintain retaliatory restrictions on their food product imports.”

If sanctions against Russia are lifted, the country will be in a difficult situation, “because in compliance with WTO norms, Russia will be vulnerable if our retaliatory measures kept,” he said.

If Russia abolishes tit-for-tat sanctions, “there are plenty of ways to support the agricultural sector,” Putin said.

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.

In mid-2015, the mutual sanctions were prolonged for one year.

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