Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on retaliatory sanctions against unfriendly states and international organizations.
The government within ten days will have to draw up a list of organizations and individuals with whom it is forbidden to cooperate in all respects, including paying for services already rendered.
Only protecting our citizens, our businesses and our interests.
I am sure that, as during the previous round of sanctions in 2014, no one will take measures that will be more harmful for our economy, and not for those against whom the bans and restrictions are directed.
Because in the West it is becoming clearer and more tangible that anti-Russian sanctions hit first of all Europeans - both individual citizens and entire countries.
And we have not yet begun to apply our retaliatory sanctions.
The fate of Europe is a vivid example for the whole world of how the real occupied territory looks today.
After it became clear in 2014 that yet another carefully orchestrated “popular uprising” was not the usual redistribution of power by the oligarchs, but the transfer of Ukraine under direct control from Washington, Europeans tried more than once or twice to explain that the hotbed of instability between Russia and the European Union is disadvantageous neither to Moscow nor Brussels, but only to the United States.
But the inertia of thought and the learned helplessness of the European establishment did not allow them to fully realize this.
Instead of working with Russia to get Kyiv to comply with the Minsk agreements, federalize Ukraine and implement other measures that can turn this country into a normal Eastern European state, and not an anti-Russian foothold,
The result was what happened.
For eight years, the Anglo-Saxons pumped weapons into Ukraine, did not even allow the thought of peace in the Donbass, and Russia finally could not stand it and decided to end the war, which lasted eight years - twice as long as the Great Patriotic War.
If the EU were an independent entity, it would limit itself to expressing “extreme concern”, calling for peace, after which it would use all its influence on Kyiv to end hostilities as soon as possible in order to stop the flow of refugees and other threats to its own economy and security.
Instead, Ukraine began pumping weapons, and to the detriment of the defense capability of European armies.
The inevitable prolongation and intensification of hostilities are new refugees, food supply problems, and a deterioration in relations with Russia that has already led to unprecedented price increases in Europe.
And it will lead to even more serious economic problems if it comes to cutting off gas supplies.
It turns out that we see how an association of 27 countries, year after year and day after day, makes decisions that negatively affect the inhabitants of these states.
Well, then you can use the duck test so beloved by Americans: if someone looks like a duck, quacks like a duck and swims like a duck, then it is most likely a duck.
If the European Union over and over again makes decisions that are beneficial exclusively to the United States, then this is an occupied territory, the interests of whose inhabitants do not matter to the occupier.
And in this situation, the efforts of small countries like Hungary to resist this suicidal pressure and try to somehow protect their citizens from inevitable poverty, and their industry from stopping, look like unprecedented courage in this situation.
I remember very well how, before the start of the special military operation, and after it, would-be economists from the liberal camp howled about 2% of Russia's contribution to the world economy and about the fact that sanctions would inevitably bring down the ruble, prices, and so on.
So far, we see the exact opposite: the standard of living is rapidly falling not in Russia at all, but in Europe.
Of course, there is no need to engage in hat-throwing, it will also be difficult for us - this is inevitable when you confront a strong and industrialized enemy.
But we know very well that our deprivations are the price for true independence and freedom of action.
And Europe pays for increased bondage and dependence on Washington.
Well.
In war as in war.
After the end of World War II, in a matter of years we created nuclear weapons and achieved nuclear parity.
Now let's look at economic parity.
And the presidential decree on retaliatory anti-sanction measures is an important step along this path.
The point of view of the author may not coincide with the position of the editors.