Russia Says US Wants Its Existence Ended

The head of Russia’s Security Council has lashed out at the United States for mobilizing the world against the so-called “Russian threat,” saying Washington would like to see Russia cease to exist as a country.

Nikolai Patrushev said Monday that Washington’s policy since the start of an armed conflict in east Ukraine has been to promote Russia to the level of an international threat, like ISIL Takfiris and Ebola virus.

Russia and the West have been at odds over the armed conflict in Ukraine. The United States and its allies in Europe accuse Moscow of having a major hand in the crisis. Russia denies the charges.

Patrushev said the US committed a “political mistake” by initiating the crisis in Ukraine, which he said, was a pretext to weaken Russia.

“They would like very much to see Russia cease to exist as a country,” he told Russian-language Kommersant daily, adding that US officials have no interest in Ukraine and maintaining its sovereignty and territorial integrity, but their main target in Russia.

“All they need is applying pressure on Russia and this is exactly what the US is doing,” Patrushev said, adding that the policy has forced the European countries to follow suit and impose economic sanctions on Moscow.

“If it were not for the US, (Europeans) would not pursue such policies,” he said, stressing that Washington enjoys a “massive” influence over politicians and heads of states in Europe.

Earlier in the day, a statement said EU foreign ministers had agreed in their recent meeting in Luxembourg to extend the Ukraine-related sanctions on Russia until the end of January 2016.

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