Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

Russia-U.S. Reset Impossible Amid Sanctions: Medvedev

Russia-U.S. Reset Impossible Amid Sanctions: Medvedev

MOSCOW - A reset of Russia-U.S. relations is impossible if sanctions against Moscow remain, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Wednesday.

"It is absolutely impossible. Let's be clear: We did not come up with these sanctions; our international partners did," Medvedev said in an interview with CNBC.

Noting the sanctions will dissipate after a while, the prime minister said: "we can't deny the fact that they have damaged our relations."

"In my opinion, it's an absolutely destructive -- and I would even go as far as saying -- a stupid position," Interfax news agency quoted him as saying.

Medvedev called "mental aberration" the speech of U.S. President Barack Obama before the UN General Assembly last month, in which he labeled Russia a key threat to the world, second only to the Ebola virus and ahead of the Islamic State terrorist group.

Still, Russia remains open for restoration of normal relations with the West and all civilized nations on an "absolutely constructive amicable base," he said.

For that end, the situation must be re-balanced and returned to normal, Medvedev added.

A recent pullback of Russian troops from the Ukraine border was not a signal to anyone, including the United States, he added, but an internal decision of Russia.

"All sorts of decisions that Russia takes, including decisions on our armed forces, are the responsibility of our government and the president of the Russian federation, and are in no way related to the situation in Ukraine, although it is, of course, our major concern," Medvedev said.(Xinhua)