The Federation Council Committee on International Affairs held an expanded meeting on Russia-US relations.
The Federation Council held an expanded meeting of its Committee on International Affairs, also attended by members of the Federation Council Committee on Defence and Security and Anatoly Antonov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the United States. The participants discussed the state of Russia-US relations, including the political dialogue and economic cooperation as well as interparliamentary links.
Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs Grigory Karasin noted that Ambassador Anatoly Antonov is working in Washington during difficult times when Russia-US relations are extremely strained.
Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Defence and Security Viktor Bondarev noted the importance of efforts to improve the relationship between the Russian Federation and the United States. However, he said, recent events are indicating otherwise.
“The saddest thing is that there seems to be no inclination of them mending fences, trying for a fresh start and improving our ties in all fields of international activities,” the senator said.
The Russian ambassador to the United States stressed that Russia-US relations are in a deep crisis. “For several years now, Russia has been undertaking active and consistent efforts to straighten out our bilateral links and build an equal and mutually respectful pragmatic dialogue.” However, Anatoly Antonov believes that it has not been possible to change the trajectory of Russia-US relations. “Official Washington is consistently destroying the entire architecture of our ties, with constant threats and economic restrictions against Russia. Last year alone, the Americans executed more than ten rounds of anti-Russian sanctions.”
The Russian Ambassador noted the persisting Russophobic activities on behalf of the Capitol as well as Washington’s confusion around Nord Stream 2 and constant threatening of other countries for buying Russian weaponry.
Overall, Anatoly Antonov believes that, even if Washington changes its stance on Russia, those will not be fundamental changes but rather shifts in small nuances. “The systematic containment of Russia remains the alpha and omega of US policy. Raking through the mess of the past years will not be easy.”
Despite the disagreements, there are still issues on which Russia and the United States can and must work together, the diplomat believes. “On the practical level, we should start by restoring communications mechanisms.”
In his media remarks, Grigory Karasin said it was a packed agenda event as the problems concerning relations between the two countries are growing ever more rapidly.
Anatoly Antonov praised the discernment and thoroughness of his meeting partners. “I would like to thank the senators for their advice on how to repair Russia-US relations.”
The ambassador noted that both Russia and the United States are equally interested in friendly and pragmatic relations. “We are not going to chase anybody. If the United States want to maintain a normal relationship with Russia, our response will always be positive.”
Anatoly Antonov reminded those present that Russia and the United States are both permanent members of the UN Security Council and two super powers possessing 90 percent of nuclear weapons. “We must communicate and think about the fate and security of the world,” he stressed.
Other participants included First Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council Andrey Yatskin, deputy speakers Konstantin Kosachev and Nikolai Zhuravlev and Presidential Plenipotentiary in the Federation Council Artur Muravyov.