MOSCOW, November 4. /TASS/. Russia is a powerful country that every day demonstrates its strength and adds new elements to it, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
"Everything that we achieve, we achieve to be strong. Each of us must be strong, and if we are all strong together, our country will be strong. It is really powerful, and it is now showing its strength, it is building up new elements to its power every day," he said at the Znanie (Knowledge) educational marathon on the sidelines of the RUSSIA EXPO.
Russia’s response is proportionate to the growing lawless behavior of the West, Kremlin Spokesman said.
"You are absolutely right, they [the West’s acts of provocation] are progressing indeed, but we are gaining experience as well. Our response is proportionate to how lawlessness on the part of the collective West is increasing and will be increasing," Peskov said.
"In this regard, no one should doubt the firmness, the determination, and, most importantly, the ability of our president, since he is the supreme commander-in-chief, and he shapes our foreign policy," he added.
Russia will be fighting any external threat, and that was made clear and everyone understands this now, Kremlin Spokesman said.
"We lived through a period of so-called ‘romanticism’ when it seemed to us that everyone wants to make friends with us - the Americans, the Europeans and the British - and that they would be our friends," Peskov said. "It seemed to us that when their guns with tanks and missiles were approaching us, that was simply because of their passionate desire to be our friends. We were so wrong. And perhaps we should have resolutely objected to that. But now we have made it clear and now everyone realizes that when we are put in jeopardy, we will be fighting it," Peskov said when asked how NATO eastwards expansion was allowed.