SAEDNEWS: Russia will not allow the European Union to provoke itself into retaliatory actions in the visa issuance sphere that could harm national interests, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.
"Numerous decisions made by them (the EU) are aimed to provoke us to take some sort of retaliatory measures, perhaps of a mirror nature, which would harm our country," she said in an interview with Russia’s TVC television channel commenting on the introduction of a ban on the issuance of multiple-entry Schengen visas to Russian citizens.
"They should dream on, because the retaliatory measures would follow but they would be taken, first of all, based on our national interests," she continued.
According to the diplomat, Russia is ready to resort to a mirror or "hybrid format" of response, as well as to act asymmetrically, if it is most appropriate.
Zakharova added that many decisions on behalf of the Western countries are initially voiced for the purpose to probe the ensuing reaction of the Russian society.
The diplomat also noted that such decisions by the European Union could may lead Europe to suicide.
"To set aside very legal visitors, tourists from Russia, who arrived with documents, with a certain financial cushion that guarantees them legal presence on the territory of the European Union. I think all of this certainly drives Europe to suicide. It (Europe) still carries on walking on the edge of its suicide," she said.
On November 7, the European Commission announced its ban on issuing new multiple-entry visas to Russian citizens. A European diplomatic source told TASS that, although new visas are now restricted, existing multiple-entry Schengen visas for Russians would remain valid for the time being.
