Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said his country regrets that relations between Moscow and Washington have not passed strength tests.
In an interview with the International Affairs magazine, Ryabkov said the US Congress has imposed its will on President Donald Trump’s administration.
“It is sad that relations with Russia have not passed strength tests in terms of resistance to attacks, which have been on the increase in recent months, and ultimately the majority both in the House of Representatives and in the Senate actually imposed its will on the administration,” Ryabkov said.
Ryabkov said Moscow hopes that Russia and the United States would avoid confrontation, although the latest US sanctions will have long-term consequences.
“As for confrontation, I would not go so far in generalizations. I hope that it will not come to a confrontation, and we will work to find ways to minimize damage from what happened.”
Speaking on the response to the sanctions, the politician said that Russia will intensify work to reduce its dependence on US payment systems and the dollar as payment currency.
“We of course will intensify work linked to import substitution, reduction of some dependence on US payment systems, the dollar as payment currency and so on. This is becoming a necessity,” the official added.
Ryabkov expressed doubt that significant US-EU differences on the issue of anti-Russia sanctions were possible, adding that he did not believe in Europe’s independence.
“I do not believe in the independence of today’s Europe as a stakeholder, especially in the Russian direction. Unfortunately, they themselves made quite a mess with us and created such a ballast which they will find hard to give up. So we shall see how things will go. But business lobbyism, economic interests are a factor. Nevertheless, I would not overestimate its importance in the new conditions,” Ryabkov said when asked regarding possible disagreements between the European Union and the United States over the consequences of the sanctions.
Source: Sputnik
