Putin Says Sanctions Turn Into Tool Of Competitive Struggle

Sanctions have turned into a tool of competitive practices, Vladimir Putin said on Friday at the meeting of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs.

"The same refers to various restrictions of political nature, the so-called sanctions. Indeed, something may occur initially as a political tool but we see now that often this is simply a tool of competitive struggle," Putin said.

Russia will respond to attempts of dominating the environmental topics to achieve competitive advantages, the President said. "All such aspirations related to the attempt of harnessing the environmental topics for achievement of competitive advantages should encounter a certain response from our side. And we will definitely do that," Putin added.