Sanctions, expulsion from G8 won’t harm Russia, says ambassador to Canada

OTTAWA – Russia’s ambassador to Canada says sanctions from the West over the situation in Ukraine won’t isolate his country, and expelling it from the G8 would only hurt stability around the world.

Georgiy Mamedov says Russia cannot be isolated and if Europe and North America don’t want its resources, energy-thirsty China is waiting in the wings.

Mamedov repeatedly blamed propaganda and hysteria for the tensions in Ukraine, particularly in the Crimean peninsula.

Residents of Crimea voted overwhelmingly on the weekend to break off from Ukraine and join Russia, an outcome western leaders refuse to acknowledge.

Mamedov also says a Russian diplomat who was stabbed last week near the embassy is in Moscow recovering from his wounds and isn’t expected to return to Canada.

Canadian officials have said they don’t believe the attack wasn’t politically motivated, but Mamedov says he has his doubts about that claim.