Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov

On Sunday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the latest Western sanctions against Russia were prepared long ago and aren't likely to be lifted.

"The speed with which they were introduced and their volume indicate that they were not created overnight, they were being prepared for quite a while. It is unlikely that these sanctions will be lifted," Lavrov said in an interview for French broadcaster TF1.

"At least, the US, not publicly but during contacts with its allies, says that when all this [the crisis in Ukraine] is over the sanctions will remain anyway," Lavrov added.

The European Union, on its part, does not have easing sanctions against Russia on the table - not even in exchange for Russia's help in overcoming the continent's food crisis, according to a high-ranking EU source.

Putin to help overcome food crisis if West lifts sanctions

On Thursday, President Vladimir Putin told Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi that Moscow is ready to make a "major contribution" in the course of preventing an impending food crisis if the West lifts its sanctions.

"Putin emphasizes that the Russian Federation is ready to make a significant contribution to overcoming the food crisis through the export of grain and fertilizer, subject to the lifting of politically motivated restrictions by the West," the Kremlin said in a statement following the call.

Putin also spoke about "steps taken to ensure the safety of navigation, including the daily opening of humanitarian corridors for the exit of civilian ships from the ports of the Azov and the Black Sea, which is impeded by the Ukrainian side."

He also dismissed as "unfounded" suggestions that Russia was to blame for global food supply shortages.

On its part, the United States dismissed Putin's remarks. "Now they're using economic tools, as weapons. They're weaponizing food. They're weaponizing economic assistance. I guess we shouldn't be surprised by that, since they've weaponized everything else, including lies and information," Pentagon Spokesperson John Kirby claimed.

Read more: UN ambassador: Global food shortages reached highest level

Putin to help overcome food crisis if West lifts sanctions