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Matviyenko: no one will ever quarrel Russia and Ukraine

MOSCOW, March 26, /ITAR-TASS/. No one will ever break Russia away from Ukraine and quarrel the two countries with each other, Valentina Matviyenko, the speaker of the Federation Council upper house of Russia parliament, said on Wednesday.

“The strategic partnership between Russia and Ukraine and the friendship of its peoples are of key importance to us. No one will ever succeed in tearing Russia away from Ukraine and quarrel the two countries with each other,” Matviyenko wrote in her blog at the Federation Council’s official website, denouncing all attempts to blame Russia for the recent events in and around Ukraine as inconsistent.

“Everything that has been happening in Ukraine is a consequence of its internal crisis,” Matviyenko said, adding Russia had not made a single unlawful step or violated a single rule in international politics.

“We have not done anything which can be perceived or interpreted as our hostile attitude to Ukraine and its citizens irrespective of whether they are Ukrainians, Russians or representatives of other ethnic groups or confessions,” the Federation Council speaker said.

Matviyenko was surprised by the painful and sharp reaction of the United States, the European Union and their partners and allies. “There is an impression that the whole thing was something like a doomsday for them,” the Russian lawmaker wrote in her blog. Matviyenko condemned western politicians for their conviction that all the roads led to Washington and Brussels.

“They are refusing to understand that other winds have started blowing in the world; that not everything is decided there (in Washington and Brussels) and that there are other forces who can defend their interests,” Matviyenko stressed, adding the West had turned into a mouthpiece of Russophobic campaign, which was bringing the worst ‘cold war’ memories back.

“All the positive achievements made in world politics over the past two decades are under threat,” Matvieynko wrote.

At the same time, she believes that “emotions are a bad adviser in politics” and that “common sense, pragmatism and realism will eventually take the upper hand.”

“The world and humanity cannot live in a state of permanent emotional stress, tensions and anxiety,” Matviyenko explained.

She said that Russia was still open for equal and constructive cooperation with all countries. “We are maintaining close contacts with officials appointed by Ukrainian parliament and we are engaged in dialogue with western partners and representatives of other states. Our chamber (the Federation Council) actively participates in bilateral and multilateral inter-parliamentary ties and various international forums,” Matviyenko said, assuring that all those steps would ultimately produce positive results.