Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev explained why “the Americans are no longer the masters of planet Earth”. Dmitry Medvedev discussed fundamental geopolitical changes with RT and Sputnik
Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev explained why “the unipolar world has come to an end” and weighed the odds of Europe abandoning the Russian gas.
In a wide-ranging interview with Sputnik and RT, the former president assessed the actions of the West amid the Ukrainian conflict and revealed some details about Russia’s military operation in Ukraine. He also discussed different views on it, including opinions of those who chose to leave Russia.
He explained why “the Americans are no longer the masters of planet Earth” and commented on Russophobia.
Medvedev has recently been known for his both tough and ironic statements when it comes to the behavior of the Western countries. Earlier, he said that anti-Russian sentiments, which have boomed since the launch of Moscow’s military offensive in Ukraine, have apparently been hidden for the last 30 years behind “the hypocritical white-toothed smiles of politicians and diplomats who said one thing and did something completely different.”
Russia’s Medvedev Says No One Wants War, However Threat of Nuclear Conflict Always Exists
“No one wants any war, much less a nuclear war, which is a threat to the very existence of human civilisation. In this sense, those analysts who say, perhaps somewhat cynically, but nevertheless, that the development of nuclear weapons has prevented a huge number of conflicts in the 20th and 21st centuries, are right. This is true. In fact, it is what it did”, Medvedev said, answering a question about a possible nuclear conflict or a war between Russia and NATO.
Economic Situation
“You cannot step into the same river twice. I had nothing to do with the government in 1998, and I perceived it from the perspective of a person from the civilian world, if you like, from the business world. But our society, our country was also much less protected then”, Medvedev said, answering a question of whether a financial meltdown in Russia could happen again.
He noted that this economic war without rules will lead to the destruction of the entire global economic order.
“They are seizing assets of financial institutions and even of the [Russian] Central Bank, and are even talking about foreclosing these assets, about nationalising them in other words. Well, look, this is a war without rules. What will be the consequences of this war – the destruction of the entire world economic order”, Medvedev said.
G20 Issue
“We created G20 in 2008. They say: ‘Let’s exclude Russia from G20!’ But I remember how it was born before my eyes, these decisions were made together. First [former US President George W.] Bush took part in it, then [former US President Barack] Obama. Everyone was happy to have representatives of such different countries sitting around the same table: Russia, the United States, China, and India. And this was a format created by the consensus, by the unanimity. And now they tell us: ‘Let’s exclude.’ No, guys, you cannot do that,” Medvedev said.
Some Europeans using Russophobia to pursue their own interests – Russia’s ex-president
Dmitry Medvedev, the country’s leader from 2008-2012 and currently the deputy chairman of the national Security Council, claimed that various political forces and nations in Europe were trying to ride the current wave of Russophobia to pursue their own interests. The official also claimed that although “from time to time, we hear absolutely astonishing remarks,” Russia’s leadership was polite and never got personal. According to Medvedev, “ethics and good manners” are what stops Moscow from taking cheap shots at other countries’ top officials, despite harsh remarks directed at their Russian counterparts.
Every country has something to deal with, be it elections or a crisis, or the need to create a coalition. And so they need a target or an enemy. In this case, Russia is the designated enemy, so I’m not surprised by the rhetoric.
Medvedev also argued that Russophobia dated back several centuries, manifesting itself at certain points in history particularly clearly. The official cited the Russian 19th century poet Fyodor Tyutchev, “who talked about how the West ganged up on Russia 150 years ago and did everything in their power to turn us into outcasts and pariahs.”
The former president pointed out that the European countries criticizing Moscow now “don’t have a monopoly on Europeanness,” as Russia’s “history is just as European as theirs.” So, any attempts to represent Russia as no longer European sound “ridiculous,” Medvedev claimed.