TULA, September 01. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia is ready to respond if the West whips up the spiral of sanctions, Valentina Matviyenko, Federation Council Speaker, upper house of Russian parliament, said on Monday.

She said any sanctions were counterproductive and mutually disadvantageous and their ultimate goal was “not only to tear Ukraine away from Russia and Russia from the European Union” but also “to weaken the European Union”.

“The United States is securing its geopolitical interests with the Europeans’ hands for there is a fierce competition for markets, economic and financial resources,” Matviyenko said.

She said sanctions were sensitive to any country. “They are sensitive to us too, but they are not dramatic”, she said.

“Russia has an enormous potential and possibilities. This is the time for us to collect ourselves and see where our weak points are and where we are particularly dependent on other countries and take real steps to preserve our economy and avoid negative developments in the country,” Matviyenko said.