Russia to respond to sanctions with its economic development, stronger ties to cooperative countries - Lavrov

MOSCOW. Feb 22 (Interfax) - Russia will respond to the latest sanctions from the United States and United Kingdom with steps to develop its own economy and strengthen foreign relations with "cooperative partners," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

"We will retaliate by working hard," Lavrov told a press conference after a meeting of G20 foreign ministers in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday.

Russia will respond with the "hard work that involves developing our own economy, developing and strengthening our ties with partners who, unlike the Western minority - which continues thinking in colonial and neo-colonial categories - are cooperative and build their economic relations in the interest of their own people," Lavrov said.