Russia will not negotiate withdrawal of Western illegitimate sanctions

Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, Sergei Ryabkov, said that Russia did not recognize the legitimacy of Western sanctions imposed against the country. Therefore, Russia will not enter into negotiations for their abolition, RIA Novosti reports.

"Deeply wrong are those who think that the US sanctions are a temporary phenomenon, that a new breeze will blow and it will all disappear. We do not recognize the legitimacy of the sanctions, nor do we intend to take part in the talks on the criteria for their withdrawal. Strictly speaking, there are no such proposals," he said.

According to the diplomat, Washington officials send such signals at times. Ryabkov referred to a quote from the press secretary of the White House, who said that the sanctions would be lifted when US officials could see what they wanted to see.