Alexander Kuranov. Punishment of the West against Russia do not work, and only reinforce the myth of Russia as a "besieged fortress," said the Czech leader Milos Zeman, speaking on the first day of the week at the Prague economic forum.

"Anti-Russian punishment, introduced from Western countries, have not been well enforced. They only help to strengthen the myth of the besieged fortress, which leads to further growth in the popularity of President Vladimir Putin among the Russian citizens, " - said Zeman.

"Russia feels surrounded and looking for enemies as well, and where none exist," - said the head of the Czech Republic.

According to Zeman, if you can implement the Minsk consensus, economic relations between Russia and the Czech Republic have an opportunity to have a year or two to return to normal.

Referring to his foreign trips, the Czech leader said that selects routes based on the specific situation in each country." (My) political visits have meaning, where (local) head affects Almost everyone, " said Zeman. For this reason, according to his vision, so important his visits to countries such as Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, which he recently visited, as well as Azerbaijan, where he is going in September and where the Czech Republic receives about 10% of necessary oil.


Western countries since March 2014 several times already imposed penalties because Russia's position on Ukraine. The last case of the use of such practices were the limits imposed in March 2015, when expanded sanctions List of the USA.

The list of Russian citizens and organizations who have fallen under the punishment - in the material of the Fins news

sections: Politics