Putin describes the sanctions slammed on Russia by U.S. and EU as economic banditry. He promised to respond
Russia’s President, Vladmir Putin, has served notice to U.S. and the EU for a response after what he described as the West’s “economic banditry” against Russia following biting sanctions in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov threatened that Russia would respond to the “economic banditry” though he did not specify the nature of the response, per Reuters report.
Mr Peskov asserted that Russia was too big a country to be isolated from the world.
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“This does not mean Russia is isolated. The world is too big for Europe and America to isolate a country, and even more so a country as big as Russia. There are many more countries in the world,” Mr Psekov said.
Russia embarked on a war with Ukraine last week Thursday, a development that has been globally condemned, with several countries and organisations imposing heavy sanctions on Russia.
The U.S. has also considered freezing the $643 billion in reserves of the Russian central bank amassed by Mr Putin, and freezing assets of Russian oligarchs.
Putin had earlier today, agreed to a ceasefire in parts of Ukraine to allow civilians fleeing the war to have easy passage.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense announced it would stop its bombardment of parts of Ukraine on Saturday.
“Today, March 5, from 10 a.m. Moscow time, the Russian side declares a ceasefire regime and opens humanitarian corridors for the exit of civilians from Mariupol and Volnovakha,” said the ministry in a statement. “Humanitarian corridors and exit routes have been agreed with the Ukrainian side.”