Moscow will defend its national interests in the diplomatic arena regardless of criticism from its opponents.

Axar.az reports that in an interview with TASS, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, made these remarks.

Zakharova stressed that Russia protects its interests in all circumstances — whether engaging with allies or negotiating disputed issues.

“When we communicate with friends, we also defend our interests. When we conduct negotiations on contentious issues, we also defend our interests. When we uphold our position, including in a diplomatic battle with adversaries, we also defend our positions,” she added.

The full text of the interview is expected to be published on February 23.