Russia is ready to sever ties with the EU if the bloc imposes new, economically painful sanctions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says.
The EU has raised the prospect of further sanctions amid a row over the treatment of the jailed Russian opposition leader, Alexei Navalny.
When an interviewer asked if Russia was heading for a “break” with the EU, Mr Lavrov said “we’re ready for that”.
“If you want peace, prepare for war,” he said.
He said a break in ties could be triggered by EU sanctions that “create risks for our economy, including in the most sensitive areas”.
“We don’t want to isolate ourselves from world affairs, but we have to be prepared for that.” He was speaking on the Russian YouTube channel Solovyov Live.
In the past week Russia and the EU have expelled three of each other’s diplomats in a tit-for-tat dispute centering on the Navalny case.
Russia went first, a week ago, saying three EU diplomats had attended an illegal pro-Navalny protest – an allegation rejected by the EU. The Russian announcement came during a visit by EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell.