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Электронное приложение к журналу «
Международная жизнь
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Author : S. Ryabkov
Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation
The summer is indeed hot, both in the direct and figu-
rative sense of the word. We are in the maelstrom of
events and I believe that we also generate certain waves.
As for the United States, a bipartisan consensus based
on an anti-Russian foundation has evolved there. We
are faced with a situation where our country is being
deliberately and consciously demonized and accused of
almost every sin under the sun. The U.S. ruling circles
and all those they are dependent on have developed a certain complex with regard to Russia.
They see us as an almost omnipotent evil, which points to some serious deviations in their per-
ception of reality.
I do not trust words, especially the words of U.S. politicians and U.S. diplomats, regardless of
their rank and standing. People should be judged by their deeds.
We believe that it is necessary to ensure the practical, not purely declarative, separation of ISIS,
which is banned in Russia, and Jabhat al-Nusra, which has renamed itself, from the so-called
moderate opposition and make it possible to focus efforts of the U.S.-led coalition, Russia and
Syrian government forces on fighting terrorists, in this way creating additional prerequisites to
enable the moderate opposition to go ahead with real, direct negotiations and to continue par-
ticipation in the process coordinated by Staffan de Mistura.
Unfortunately, the U.S. has a somewhat different approach and a different order of priorities. It
is important for Washington that we and Damascus do nothing that could, in its opinion,
strengthen the positions of the present legitimate authorities in Syria, including in fighting the
opposition.
I seriously doubt the Americans' oft-repeated claim that "we support the political process in
Syria." In reality, the situation turns out to be different.
We were concerned by the well-known decisions with regard to building up the military presence
on a rotational basis but in fact the deployment of permanent armed forces of a number of
NATO countries in immediate proximity to our borders: in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and
Poland. I would like to say that this is not limited to only four multinational battalions. What is
involved is the deployment of forward-based depots of equipment for several U.S. motorized
infantry brigades in Europe in the next few years.
I am confident that there will be no war while what is going on is the usual flexing of muscles
on the part of the West, just another attempt to "show Russia its place." It is also an attempt to
please those on NATO's eastern and northeastern flank who are trying to take advantage of the
current difficulties in Russia's relations with the West in their narrow, short-term interests, i.e.,
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