- Sanctions Must be Lifted to Restore Dialogue

Former Foreign Minister of Russia, Igor Ivanov, says the sanctions against Russia must be lifted without any predictions if the countries that have imposed them really want to rebuild the dialogue.

- By doing that, the countries will demonstrate that they are really willing to cooperate to solve the Ukrainian conflict, he tells the Russian news agency RIA Novosti.

Ivanov ended his period as a Russian Foreign Minister in 2004, after having the position for six years.

He believes that it would take time to reinstitute the dialogue between Russia and USA, and that it is possible only through compromise.

"The sooner such dialogue is restored, the faster we will rebuild our relations of cooperation and mutual understanding," Ivanov concluded.