“To date, the position of relevant departments, including the Russian Foreign Ministry, has not changed - we still consider the WTO an important and uncontested platform for defending Russian trade and economic interests,” Pankin is quoted by TASS.

According to him, a possible withdrawal of Russia from the WTO would mean self-elimination from the processes of the international division of labor.

He added that such a move could lead to self-isolation of the country's economy.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin, during a speech at the Eastern Economic Forum, said it was impossible to isolate Russia.

He also stressed that Russia will never follow the path of self-isolation and autarky.