Updated 2:17 p.m. Moscow Time
MOSCOW, October 14 (RIA Novosti) - Moscow made no political decisions intended to push foreign businesses out of Russia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday.
"I don't think there are some political decisions to take this path. On the contrary, we are interested in keeping people working here, to their benefit," the minister said, commenting on reports about foreign legal and consulting companies forced to leave the Russian market.
Lavrov added that he himself had never even heard of such problems.
Earlier on Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister said that the attempts to severe economic ties between Russia and the European Union would not contribute to successful business activities and reiterated that Moscow remained open for political and business contacts with the West.
According to Lavrov, Russia is ready to continue building up energy cooperation and discuss the creation of a free trade zone with the European Union.
Relations between Russia and the West have deteriorated amid the Ukrainian crisis, as Western politicians kept on blaming Russia for meddling in Ukraine's internal affairs. Moscow has repeatedly denied any involvement in the Ukrainian conflict.
