WASHINGTON, July 21. /TASS/. Certain US politicians are trying to use Ukraine as a tool for putting pressure on Russia, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said in an interview with RT America.
Commenting on possible concessions, to be made by Germany and Ukraine while concluding a deal on Nord Stream 2, the Russian ambassador said he sees no political interests that Washington could potentially have in Ukraine.
"It seems to me that some political figures, some politicians just only would like to use Ukraine as a tool to press on Russia, to change Russian <…> independent foreign policy, Russian economic policy," Antonov said.
"What kind of political interest the United States has in Ukraine? Ukraine is too far," he said, adding that he learned from conversations with certain US politicians that some of them "don’t know where Ukraine is."
Russia-US relations
Russia and the United States need good relations with each other, and this would benefit the people in both countries, Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov said in an interview with RT America on Tuesday.
"To have good relations between the United States and Russia is in the interests of the United States people, as well as Russian Federation," he said.
"We are doomed for cooperation," the Russian diplomat continued. "We are the main nuclear states. We are prominent members of [the UN] Security Council. We bear special responsibility for peace. That’s why we have no time to quarrel. We have to fix many problems that we face today."
As an example of those areas for cooperation, the ambassador named international terrorism and climate change.
"If anybody would like to create an island of security somewhere in the United States, or in Europe, or in other continent, it will be a mistake. We can win together. When we are together, we can solve any issue, any problem that we face today," Antonov said.