EU lawsuit against Russia for goods discrimination is 'apotheosis of inhumanity' - Russian Federation Council speaker

MOSCOW. Dec 27 (Interfax) - The lawsuit filed by the European Union against Russia with the World Trade Organization (WTO) against the Russian import substitution policies is pointless and cynical, Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko said.

"This name - 'apotheosis of inhumanity' - is very applicable to what you said. Unprecedentedly cynical policies: the EU was the first to impose sanctions on Russia. And what did they expect? That we would just put up with it?" Matviyenko told a press conference on Monday, responding to request to comment on the situation with the lawsuit filed with the WTO.

Moscow's actions in the situation with the imposition of EU sanctions against Russia were consistent and forced: the country needed to start producing on its market goods that are not imported from the EU, Matviyenko said.

"They should have calculated the consequences before making such political, unfounded decisions to impose illegal unilateral sanctions. We calculated. And we reacted in a timely manner and started domestic production of not only food products, but also a number of products for the industry. Eventually, they suffered big losses and now they are crying for help," Matviyenko said.