MOSCOW. Nov 5 (Interfax) - History has proven that the language of sanctions is counterproductive, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin told Interfax on Monday.
Officials from the European Union and the United States said earlier that new sanctions could be imposed on Russia if it agreed to recognize the November 2 elections held in the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics.
"We respect the choice made by residents of the southeast," Karasin said.
"The language of sanctions is an absolutely counterproductive method of tackling conflict situations. This has already been proven by history," he said.