A top Russian lawmaker has called for a response to Canada’s toughening of sanctions against Moscow, describing Canada as the most anti-Russia state in the world.

Alexei Pushkov, who heads the foreign affairs committee of the Russian lower house of parliament, the State Duma, said on Tuesday that Canada is “the most anti-Russian state today and in the Western alliance, in general, and no doubt, in the Group of Seven."

His remarks came one day after Canada introduced sanctions on 14 Russian legal entities and three individuals besides imposing a ban on trade exchange with Crimea, which broke away from Ukraine to join Russia in March 2014.

Pushkov called for action against Canada, saying, “We should not pretend as if nothing is happening and we need to devise a set of measures in regard to Canada...I believe we should also respond in a special way to the most aggressive manifestations of the sanctions policy.”

He lashed out at Ottawa for its desperate attempt to strengthen its position in the international community by taking a hard stance on Russia, saying, “The country’s government is seeking to strengthen its barely noticeable role in the international affairs and its objective lack of weight and authority by the increased activity in the sphere of sanctions policy."

Pushkov said Moscow could intensify its restrictions on the import of food from Canada’s allies in the European Union.

Russia and the West have been at odds over an armed conflict in eastern Ukraine. Washington and its allies accuse Moscow of having a major hand in the deadly crisis there. The Kremlin, however, denies the accusations.

The Western governments have imposed several rounds of anti-Russia sanctions on Moscow over the conflict in Ukraine since March last year. In a tit-for-tat measure, Moscow imposed year-long food bans on the United States, the European Union, Australia and Canada last August.

MS/KA/HMV