MOSCOW, April 17. /TASS/. Russia and Europe have been deprived of the opportunity to build an independent center of power on the continent through "political chicanery" on the part of the United States and Great Britain, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin told an academic conference titled "Ukraine Between Russia and the West" on Monday.
"The opportunity for constructive cooperation with Russia’s direct participation aimed at establishing an independent center of power on the European continent has been lost for the next few decades as a consequence of political chicanery by the United States and Great Britain," the diplomat said.
The British have always feared a rapprochement among Russia, France and Germany, Galuzin said. "In this context, the recent escalation of tensions between Russia and the European Union has been to the advantage of the Anglo-Saxons, while the sabotage of the Nord Stream-1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines demonstrated just how far those who stand against mutually advantageous cooperation between Russia and the aforementioned European powers are prepared to go," he added.