"She has been under sanctions since 2014, it is no secret. She was included in the sanctions list as a response measure, as Canada introduced restrictions against Russia, including officials. The issue of her removal from the response sanctions list is a matter of reciprocity and 'mirror' response," the source told RIA Novosti.
He said Freeland's presence on the Russian stop list "will not prevent Russian officials from contacting her at international sites."
"We are ready to cooperate with Canada in all areas, to improve relations, to end sanctions wars. But it was not us who started them. The question should be addressed to Ottawa," the source said.
Freeland started her career as a journalist, during her stay in Ukraine. She worked for such media as The Washington Post, Financial Times, Economist and Reuters. She also lived and worked for some time in Moscow. In 2014, when Canada imposed sanctions on Russian officials after the referendum in Crimea, Russia's Foreign Ministry included Freeland in the reciprocal sanctions list.
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