President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday it was "impossible" to isolate Russia, as the country faces unprecedented Western sanctions over its military operation in Ukraine.
"No matter how much someone would like to isolate Russia, it is impossible to do this," Putin told the Eastern Economic Forum in Russia's Pacific port city of Vladivostok, adding that the "sanctions fever in the West" is "threatening the whole world".
He said Russia saw more opportunities in entering markets in the Middle East and Iran, following the imposition of the Western sanctions in response to Russia's military campaign in Ukraine.
White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday that US President Joe Biden has made a final decision against designating Russia as a state sponsor of terror.
Biden on Monday said Russia should not be designated a state sponsor of terrorism, a label Ukraine has pushed for amid Russia's ongoing invasion while Moscow has warned it would rupture US-Russian ties.
The designation of Russia as state sponsor of terror could delay food exports and jeopardize deals to move goods through the Black Sea, Jean-Pierre said.
