OREANDA-NEWS Sri Lanka remains a friendly country to Russia, said Janita Liyanage, the country's ambassador to Russia.

"We remember well how Russia helped us when we were going through difficult times. Today Sri Lanka does not support sanctions, speeches directed against Russia. We are a friendly country," Janita Liyanage said, speaking at a meeting of Sri Lankan and Russian businessmen at the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The West has increased sanctions pressure on Russia over Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously stated that the policy of containing and weakening Russia is a long-term strategy of the West, and sanctions have dealt a serious blow to the entire global economy. According to him, the main goal of the West is to worsen the lives of millions of people.