Dmitry Medvedev, said European countries have failed to defeat Russia in Ukraine and have instead inflicted serious economic damage on themselves, as he criticised EU policy, praised Donald Trump as a leader who seeks peace, and said Russia would “soon” achieve military victory in the war.
Speaking in an interview with Reuters, TASS and the WarGonzo Russian war blogger on Sunday at his residence outside Moscow, Medvedev, Russia’s Security Council Deputy Chairman, said Europe’s approach was driven by political ambition rather than strategic reality.
He said European powers wanted to “inflict a strategic defeat on Russia” but “have achieved nothing”, arguing that sanctions and energy restrictions have backfired on EU economies.
“Europe has surprised me a lot,” Medvedev said. “Because through its own actions it is undermining the very foundations of its existence. It is just amazing.”
He said Europe may dislike Russia’s political system and leadership, but questioned why it would damage itself to punish Moscow.
“But when, in order to achieve some personal or narrow political goals, it destroys the foundations of its own economic well-being just to punish Russia, that is astonishing,” he said.
“We know what happened with energy, and with the supply of a whole range of other raw materials and agricultural products to Europe. Prices are rising, inflation is rising, and there are numerous problems,” he said.
“All of this is being done to spite Russia and, on the other hand, to show some sort of solidarity with Ukraine. They have achieved nothing. The situation is only getting worse.”
“Overall, I have the feeling that a gang of lunatics, those at the helm of the European Union, has seized power in Europe,” he said.
“Now it is a group of madmen, either completely inadequate and incompetent, including those responsible for international affairs and leadership of the EU, or those who are harming their own countries that put them in office.”
Medvedev said Trump was an effective and unconventional leader and that contacts between Moscow and Washington had become more productive under his administration.
“Trump wants to go down in history as a peacemaker - and he is really trying,” he said. “He is really trying to do that. And that is why contacts with Americans have become much more productive.”
He described Trump as emotional but strategic.
“He is an emotional person, but on the other hand, I would not agree with those who say that his actions create chaos. Clearly, there is a very deliberate and well-thought-out approach behind it,” Medvedev said.
Referring to Trump’s past claim that he had moved U.S. nuclear submarines closer to Russia, Medvedev added: “We still have not found them.”
Medvedev said Russia would “soon” win military victory in Ukraine, but stressed that preventing future wars was just as important.
“Soon,” Medvedev said when asked when Russia would win the war. “I would like this to happen as soon as possible.”
“But it is equally important to think about what will happen next. After all, the goal of victory is to prevent new conflicts. This is absolutely obvious.”
Russia currently controls about a fifth of Ukrainian territory but has so far been unable to seize the whole of the eastern Donbas region, where Ukrainian forces still hold roughly 10% of the area, according to open-source maps.
Medvedev said the objectives of what Moscow calls its “special military operation” were set out by Vladimir Putin at the start of the war and “have remained largely unchanged”.
A senior U.S. administration official says a ceasefire agreed with Iran in early April has effectively ended hostilities for an imminent congressio...
U.S. passenger air services to Venezuela resumed on Thursday (30 April), as an American Airlines flight landed in Caracas, restoring a commercial l...
Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis voted on Friday (1 May) to suspend cooperation with the European Parliament across all areas, escalating tensions a...
Hungary’s prime minister-elect Péter Magyar has made his first high-level visit to Brussels after a landslide victory, signalling a sh...
Dubai chef Shaw Lash at Mexican restaurant Lila Molino flies in her avocados and tomatillos, small, tart green fruits...
U.S. passenger air services to Venezuela resumed on Thursday (30 April), as an American Airlines flight landed in Caracas, restoring a commercial link between the two countries after seven years.
Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis voted on Friday (1 May) to suspend cooperation with the European Parliament across all areas, escalating tensions after lawmakers in Baku accused the chamber of sustained bias.
Dubai chef Shaw Lash at Mexican restaurant Lila Molino flies in her avocados and tomatillos, small, tart green fruits native to Central America that are a staple of Mexican cuisine and key for her colourful and spicy dishes.
The Iranian leaders have commemorated the National Day of Persian Gulf stressing Tehran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz amid the U.S. maritime blockade of Iran’s southern ports, a fragile ceasefire, and stalled negotiations.
A report published by Minval Politika has raised new questions over alleged efforts by Luis Moreno Ocampo to shape international pressure against Azerbaijan and influence political dynamics around Armenia.
A Pentagon official provided the first official estimate of the cost of the U.S. war in Iran on Wednesday (29 April), telling lawmakers that $25 billion had so far been spent on the conflict, most of it on munitions. Earlier, Donald Trump said that the U.S. had "militarily defeated" Tehran.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned “foreigners who commit evil” have no place in the Gulf, outlining a “new phase” for the Strait of Hormuz, while a senior adviser said U.S. blockade efforts would fail and could trigger confrontation.
Shares in Meta Platforms fell sharply in extended trading on Wednesday after the tech giant raised its annual capital spending forecast by billions of dollars.
A senior U.S. administration official says a ceasefire agreed with Iran in early April has effectively ended hostilities for an imminent congressional war powers 1 May deadline, arguing that the absence of any military exchanges for more than three weeks removes the need for further authorisation.
U.S. passenger air services to Venezuela resumed on Thursday (30 April), as an American Airlines flight landed in Caracas, restoring a commercial link between the two countries after seven years.
Hungary’s prime minister-elect Péter Magyar has made his first high-level visit to Brussels after a landslide victory, signalling a sharp shift following 16 years of rule by Viktor Orbán.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 1st of May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The legal team of Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi plans to meet the detained former leader this weekend after she was transferred to house arrest in the capital by the military-backed government, a representative said on Friday.
The federal agent injured in the attack at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner was not hit by friendly fire, U.S. President Donald Trump and the Secret Service Director said on Thursday (30 April).
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment