In the circumstances of resistance of Western countries, our country is slowly but surely moving in a favorable direction, Leonid Slutskiy
Leonid Eduardovich
believes.
The main difficulty in promoting interests abroad for our country in 2018 was active resistance of Western countries that had set the task of maximally weakening Russia's capacity at economic and political level, Chairman of the Committee on International Affairs Leonid Slutskiy gave an interview to Parliamentskaya Gazeta (Parliamentary Newspaper) what had been achieved and what should be improved.
Moscow does not intend to fall into the traps of Kiev’s provocations
Ukraine has become one of the most acute “pre-Christmas” topics of the Russian and Western media, President Petro Poroshenko imposed martial law in 10 regions of the country after the provocation organized by Kiev in the Kerch Strait. Information about the concentration of large troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the borders of Donbass swayed public opinion both in the Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic and in Russia as well. However, nobody should worry about it, Leonid Slutskiy believes.
Such “pre-New Year” fuss is organized with only purpose of disrupting the upcoming presidential elections in Ukraine. He said that it will not be easy for Mr. Poroshenko to do it. First of all, because Moscow does not intend to fall into the traps of provocations. All this is just like a horror story for a specific audience, the parliamentarian said.
Considering the “quality” of the current Ukrainian authorities, it is not a serious threat or confrontation with Ukraine. Russia's military capabilities are several times bigger than the Ukrainian ones. Therefore, any actions of Kiev in this direction will backfire on them.
The member of the State Duma stressed that Ukraine with a help of the Western countries has become an irritant for Russia and is used to marginalize the Russian Federation in the world community. Numerous anti-Russian resolutions in various international organizations are supported by only half of the states of the modern world. “As for distant continents like Eurasia or in particular Asia, for example, in Vietnam, the parliamentary delegation has recently visited, the current attacks on our country are understood proportionally and even without our additional explanations,” Mr. Slutskiy noted.
As he said, they understand well that the situation in Ukraine is artificial. At the same time, they continue to note that the European media rarely mention the “well-being” of 46 million ordinary citizens of the republic, whose lives have worsen several times during Poroshenko’s presidency.
The planned US withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) in practical military defensive terms will not affect Russia's security against possible American missiles that can appear in Europe, the parliamentarian emphasized. Our country has all the possibilities and mechanisms to take timely action and repel a sudden attack, so Russian people can sleep at night and not to worry about it.
“Our relations with the United States have crossed the bottom line. However, the two largest nuclear powers just do not have the right to have such bad relations with each other,” Leonid Slutskiy said.
Legislators, for their part, are trying not to stop inter-parliamentary interaction. And, however, anti-Russian sentiments still are popular among the US congressmen and senators, “we still need to have dialogue,” the head of the Committee on International Affairs stressed. Conservative small-town America supported Donald Trump at the US presidential election, because he talked about the end of building of a unipolar world and that the American authorities needed to focus on the interests of ordinary Americans who became hostages of the democrats' globalist policies.
Does Russia need PACE?
Demonization of Russia by members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe for Russian money and, moreover, deprivation of the right to vote is unacceptable for this organization, Mr. Slutskiy believes. Nevertheless, according to him, “PACE is not a very understandable, but often very effective platform for promoting our foreign policy interests.” And, as the parliamentarian noted, the number of supporters of Russia’s return to this organization is gradually increasing.
At the moment, the balance of power is 50 to 50. Perhaps in April 2019, when the Committee on Rules of Procedure of this organization considers the relevant documents, something will change. However, according to his own belief, Russia should continue its activities there in order not to play onto the hands of people like George Soros, who only dream of Russia’s withdrawal from all international organizations and becoming a rogue state.
