Russia accuses US of slipping into Cold War mentality

Russia on Tuesday accused the United States of slipping into the expansionist Cold War mentality, aimed at advancing American influence in the World.

“There are real economic interests and the same Cold War-era expansionist positions that did not change for decades behind the images of ‘aggressor states’ imposed by Washington,” Russia’s Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said in an interview with Russian weekly newspaper ‘Argumenty I Fakty’ (Arguments and Facts).

“The new American National Security Strategy calls Iran and North Korea ‘rogue regimes’, and Russia and China revisionist authoritarian states that challenge the US and strive to undermine its security,” Mr Patrushev said.

He also stressed that “advancing American influence in the world” and “preserving peace through strength” among the priorities of the US national security strategy set out in the document.

Mr Patrushev said the US military budget for 2018 is almost 700 billion dollars, including a 4.6 billion dollar allocation for deterrence of the so-called “Russian aggression in Europe.”

“Out of this sum, 100 million dollars is a target help to bolster the defence of the Baltic states, and $350 million is granted for a military help to Ukraine,” he noted.

“The history of the 20th century contains many examples of what disastrous consequences such influence from abroad may lead to,” the RSC Secretary added.

Mr Patrushev said the United States continues to break the agreements it had reached earlier with other countries.

“Today, the US administration’s steps on the International arena which is raising eyebrows more than ever. So, Washington’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital may only destabilise the situation in the Middle East. The US continues breaking the agreements reached with other countries,” said Mr Patrushev.

“They are threatening to impose sanctions not only on Russia, but also on the Europe and China, which has been recently hit by another round of anti-dumping measures,” he added.

UNI