Lavrov: Russia will retaliate if isolated by the West like North Korea
Russia will find an answer to the West if it comes under tough financial sanctions, as a result of which the country, in fact, will turn into North Korea, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in an interview with the Russian TV host Vladimir Solovyov.
According to Lavrov, Moscow "does not yet see" that the Western authorities plan to introduce the promised "sanctions from hell." These sanctions, according to the U.S. Department of State, will include complete isolation of the Russian economy from the global financial system, including a ban on correspondent accounts for banks and measures against key exporters of the oil and gas sector.
"I cannot vouch for those madmen who are pushing Western countries in this direction," Lavrov said in response to a request for comment on the possibility of sanctions similar to those imposed on North Korea.
If such a scenario is realized, "I can assure you, we will find the answer," the Russian Foreign Minister said, adding that Russia will not "change its way of life, its beliefs just because the West is angry."
According to Lavrov, the Russian leadership has no plans to turn the country into a "besieged fortress", but the authorities also do not plan to ask for sanctions to be lifted.
"We will not be humiliated in front of anyone," he assured. According to Lavrov, the prospects for lifting sanctions in the foreseeable future are not visible, and in the new reality it is necessary to develop import substitution.
"Many sanctions against Russia, including CAATSA, sanctions that are laid down in the law in support of democracy in Ukraine, everything that is approved by Congress is not subject to change by the president and his administration. Therefore, given the fact that an anti-Russian orgy is taking place there now - this is a unifying factor. I am sure that we need to forget about it - both from the point of view of the pride of the Great Russians, and from the point of view of pragmatism - and concentrate on making our own ceramic wings for aircraft, do everything else,” Lavrov said.