Russian President Vladimir Putin has condemned Western sanctions imposed over Russia's war in Ukraine, labeling the sanctions a fever that poses a serious threat to the entire world.
In a speech at an economic forum in Vladivostok, Putin said Russia was facing economic "aggression" from the West. The Russian president warned that the quality of life for Europeans was being sacrificed to sanctions, while the poorest countries were losing access to food, writes the BBC.
He also said that Europe was cheating poor countries about grain in Ukraine. For months Ukraine's seaports were blockaded by Russian forces, but since exports resumed in early August, the Russian leader claimed only two grain ships had gone to Africa.
He said he wants to discuss the revision of the wheat export agreement with Ukraine.
Russia launched its invasion on February 24. So far Russia has occupied about a fifth of the Ukrainian territory. Six months later, Russia has withdrawn from areas around Kiev and the north and is facing a Ukrainian counter-offensive in the south and east.
Western countries responded to the war by imposing sanctions on a large number of Russian individuals, businesses and state-owned enterprises.
The European Union has sought to cut its dependence on Russian gas and oil, with Moscow shutting down the main Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline to Germany, blaming it on technical issues.
Energy prices have risen and EU ministers meet on Friday to respond to the crisis.