Latvia hopes for a new economic life after the lifting of anti-Russian sanctions

Former Latvian Foreign Minister Jānis Jurkāns told Izvestia on December 14 that he hopes that a new economic life will start in the republic after sanctions against Russia are lifted.

He expressed the opinion that the lifting of anti-Russian sanctions will allow Latvian businessmen to cooperate with Russians again.

"If we were one of the most leading republics of the Soviet Union in the early 90s, today, unfortunately, Latvia is one of the last countries in the European Union. In general, economically we have lost a lot because of the sanctions. <...> When the sanctions are lifted, a new economic life will begin, then everything will be very positive," the former Latvian foreign minister said.

Jurkāns drew attention to the fact that at the moment the modern generation in Latvia does not know the Russian language and culture. The speaker also considered uncultured the demolition of monuments located in the country.

"Why forbid to stage plays by [Russian writer Anton] Chekhov or there to play a concert by [Russian composer Sergei] Rachmaninoff? Because it's Russian, right?" - he wondered rhetorically.

Jurkans added that within five or six years after the lifting of sanctions, there will be changes in language as well. He explained that when Russian business starts to return to Latvia, businessmen will need to know Russian.

Earlier, December 6, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said that circumvention of sanctions against Russia has become a kind of sport in Europe. According to him, punitive measures harm the European economy. Szijjártó added that the West's strategy has failed and requires changes.

On the same day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson that the country has learned a lot and become stronger since the Western sanctions were imposed. Under sanctions pressure, Russia relies more on itself and develops cooperation with friendly countries, he said.

Before that, on November 21, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova emphasized that the West had failed to strangle Russia with sanctions. She called the sanctions "blitzkrieg" of unfriendly countries and the country's "culture of abolition" really failed.

Western countries increased sanctions pressure on Russia after the start of the special operation to protect the peaceful population of Donbass, which was announced on February 24, 2022.