Yaqub Eyyubov, first deputy prime minister of Azerbaijan, has said Russia will not be affected by economic sanctions the US and its European allies have imposed on the country over the Ukrainian crisis.

“You cannot speak in the language of sanctions with Russia,” Eyyubov said, speaking at a meeting of Russian-Azeri inter-governmental commission in Baku. “You cannot break Russia, and Russia will not bow to pressure.”

Eyyubov said Russia will emerge even stronger from the crisis. He described Russia as Azerbaijan’s “closest” ally.

It was the first time a senior Azerbaijani official publicly expressed support for Russia in the standoff with the West.

Bakudaily.Az