Russian finance minister Anton Siluanov told reporters during a briefing on the results of 2023 that the export of Russian diamonds will continue despite the restrictions imposed by Group of Seven (G7) countries.
“Therefore, all the restrictions that [G7 countries] impose, they not only affect us, but also those who introduced them,” TASS quotes the minister as saying.
“They say “we will endure for the sake of our own principles,” well, let them endure if they want, the people probably won’t tolerate it for long. Diamond exports will continue, yes.”
Earlier in December a number of Russian officials said that the country is preparing in advance for G7 sanctions against its diamonds, seeking new alternative export markets and trying to break the monopoly of the international diamond standard set by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).
Theodor Lisovoy, Editor in Chief of the European bureau, Rough&Polished
