Russian FM dismisses Turchynov’s calls for new sanctions against Russia

MOSCOW, May 20. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said on Wednesday there was no sense in the calls of Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov to strengthen sanctions on Russia.

Turchynov, in particular, proposed to the European Union and United States to deploy European missile defense elements in Ukraine, to stop operation of the SWIFT baking system in Russia, ban Russian ships’ passage though the Bosporus and Dardanelles Straits. "I have not heard such a statement, as I was busy in the Federation Council," the Russian foreign minister told reporters after his speech in the Federation Council upper house of parliament. "I think there’s little sense in reading such things. They are prospectless, counterproductive and are just rhetoric."