Effectiveness of Attempts to 'Discipline' Moscow With Sanctions Negligible - Medvedev

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th March, 2019) The effectiveness of Western states' attempts to "discipline" Moscow with sanctions is negligible, and many of Russia's foreign partners, including Luxembourg, are aware of the futility of these efforts, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said ahead of his visit to Luxembourg.

The prime minister gave an interview to the Luxemburger Wort daily ahead of his visit.

"Let's be frank: nobody really needs it and gains anything from it. And the 'disciplinary effect' is zero. Many of our partners are aware of the futility of this line. And it is very important that Luxembourg is one of these states," Medvedev said.

Answering whether he considered Luxembourg's position, which sees sanctions as disadvantageous, but necessary response to Russia's actions in Crimea and the conflict in Donbas, to be deceptive, the Russian prime minister noted that "everyone has the right to his own delusions."

Despite humanitarian aid from Russia, the situation in Donbas is now very difficult, primarily due to position of Kiev, which is not going to fulfill the Minsk agreements, he added.

"And the sanctions are against Russia. Strange logic," the prime minister said.

The sanctions imposed on Russia were motivated by the desire to undermine the country's economy, Medvedev said.

"As you can see, this attempt failed. Today, sanctions only hinder the development of relations with European partners, not to mention the losses incurred by everyone," he noted.

He recalled that Russia was forced to impose reciprocal restrictions, but is ready to lift them as soon as Western partners do the same.

"But the European Union, as if being spellbound, follows the United States and continues to extend its sanctions year after year," Medvedev stressed.

In his opinion, the fact that Luxembourg is not enthusiastic about anti-Russian sanctions is also explained by the fact that this country remains faithful to the traditions of its foreign policy.

"But, to be honest, I do not see any enthusiasm for anti-Russian sanctions in other EU countries," Medvedev said.

Medvedev also said that Russia could keep its natural gas flowing through Ukraine after 2019 if Kiev agreed to certain conditions, which include settlement of relations between the interested companies, favorable economic and commercial parameters of the transaction, as well as a stable political environment.

Russia merely reciprocated the US decision to suspend obligations under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), Medvedev said.

"Not Russia at all, but the United States is withdrawing from the core treaty in the field of global security, the INF. That is why Russian President [Vladimir Putin] signed a decree on the suspension of the implementation of the INF Treaty as a reciprocal response until the United States eliminates the violations of its obligations committed by them," he said.

The United States pulling nuclear weapons to Europe, as well as NATO drills, add nothing but unnecessary worries to NATO's own allies in Europe and elsewhere, Medvedev said.

"These exercises do not add anything but unnecessary worries, primarily to NATO countries," he said.

Medvedev said EU countries would be better off once the United States removed its nuclear arsenal from Europe, warning that "nuclear blackmail" only escalated global tensions.

RUSSIANS' GENETIC REJECTION OF WAR

Russia only needs the most advanced weaponry as a deterrent, Medvedev said.

"Naturally, we strive to have the most modern and effective weapons. But, I repeat, not to attack. We have, if you please, a genetic rejection of war. We view our nuclear arsenal solely as a deterrent," he explained.

Asked if non-nuclear Luxembourg should be concerned about Russia's new hypersonic nuclear missiles landing in a local garden, the prime minister jestingly ruled out a mistake, arguing they were high-precision weapons.

Russia has always been an integral part of Europe, which is unthinkable without Russia, Medvedev said.

"We are certainly inseparable from Europe, from the political, economic, civilization processes that take place on this continent. And at all times we have never been a space that is closed to international contacts," he said.

Russians did not always agree in their perception of Europe and its values, the prime minister noted.

But a truly united Europe could not be without Russia, he argued, adding that Russian culture was part of the European heritage.

"Many European politicians understood this. For example, [French President] Charles de Gaulle, who, as you know, put forward the concept of Greater Europe from the Atlantic to the Urals," he said.

The prime minister, who is on a three-day EU trip, argued Russians saw no juxtaposition between Russia's western and eastern parts and considered this duality an advantage, which only makes Russia unique.