Russia's Ambassador to Bulgaria: We Will Respond to EU Sanctions

Russia will respond to EU sanctions, Russia's Ambassador to Bulgaria Yuriy Isakov stressed, Saturday.

Sanctions in general are not only less productive, but also harmful because they return like a boomerang to those who initiate them, Isakov said in an interview for Bulgaria's Darik radio.

"First of all, I want to say that we do not enjoy sanctions. Secondly, these sanctions will hit like a boomerang those who initiate them. I want to remind you that the volume of trade with the EU last year approached USD 500B. When speaking of such volumes of economic cooperation and economic relations, one cannot hope that the negative effect will be unilateral, " the diplomat said.

Russia's Ambassador said that after the latest events, Russia can no longer make concessions to Ukraine in the clauses of the gas contract between the two countries.

According to the diplomat, Russia is left with little choice and can either appeal to its partners in Ukraine, or turn to its European partners who rely on Ukraine to receive full and timely gas deliveries.

Isakov denied allegations that Russian aircraft perform emergency flights near Bulgarian airspace due to the presence of US warships in Black Sea waters.

"I have not heard anything like that. In any case, all these actions are performed by the Russian Air Force under 100% compliance with all Russian international obligations," the Ambassador stressed.

US decision to send warships to the Black Sea violates international law and in particular the Montreux Convention, which limits the stay of warships of non-Black Sea countries in the Black Sea, Isakov told Darik radio.