Medvedev: 'Anti-Russian hysteria' in U.S., Europe prompted by 'internal political squabbles'
MOSCOW. Oct 17 (Interfax) - Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said he is convinced that the anti-Russian campaign unfolding in the United States and the European Union has been dictated by domestic political factors, and Russia cannot be influenced this way.
"Today, we have not yet talked about our friends across the ocean, for example, the anti-Russia hysteria in the United States of America. We are perfectly aware of the fact that all that is connected with Russia in the United States now has a different goal - internal political squabbles; in fact, arguments between the Republicans and the Democrats and arguments inside the Republican Party," Medvedev said in an interview with Euronews.
"The same can be said about the European countries. Nine times out of ten, this anti-Russia campaign is in pursuit of entirely internal political goals: to stay in power, form a government or achieve some other goal. But certainly not to influence Russia's position. It cannot be influenced, something that everyone realizes very well," he said.
Talking about the current situation in relations between Russia and the European Union, Medvedev said he had to admit that "these relations are going through hard times."
"We believe that this is the result of rather hasty decisions made by the European Union itself. And I think EU residents are the ones paying for these decisions (I emphasize once again, we did not initiate them). Of course, this negatively affects our country as well," Medvedev said.
The full version of the interview will be available on Thursday, October 18.