MOSCOW, May 31. /TASS/. The aspiration of the United States and the West in general to maintain its global hegemony provokes an increase in disagreements between states, Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolai Patrushev said in an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

"The nature of national security threats has significantly changed lately amid the changing domestic and foreign situation. The aspiration of the US and the West to maintain its global hegemony provokes the increase in differences between states and undermines the system of international security," Patrushev said.

According to him, "hostile actions against Russia aimed at weakening the Russian statehood, internal unity and defense potential are becoming increasingly clear." "Political and economic pressure is ramped up to contain Russia, while attempts are made to destabilize the social and political situation in the country, instigate and radicalize the protest movement and erode Russia’s traditional spiritual and moral values. Several states openly brand Russia as an enemy and even a military opponent," he said.

The security chief underlined, "the campaign advanced by the West to falsify world history is gathering pace, while Russophobic sentiments are deliberately fostered." "The double standards which some states resort to in politics and economy make it difficult to increase the efficiency of multilateral cooperation on the tracks that are important to everyone, such as conflict settlement, fight against terrorism, extremism, drug business, and organized crime," Patrushev lamented.

Such counterproductive approaches, he believes, "are spreading more and more to new threats as well which are linked to the emergence of previously unknown infectious diseases, maintenance of intentional security and addressing ecological issues".