MOSCOW, February 8. /TASS/. Russia cares little about the United States’ security ‘concerns’ in the current environment, a high-ranking Russian foreign ministry official said.
"Russia is currently holding no substantive discussions on strategic matters with the Americans. We are not going either to help Washington reduce the risks it is creating for itself as a result of attempts to undermine our security," Vladimir Yermankov, director of the ministry’s non-proliferation and arms control department, told TASS.
When asked about the US’ concerns over Russia potentially possessing a Perimeter system of nuclear retaliation, he stressed, "We don’t care about these American concerns."
"Such systems, which are sometimes called ‘doomsday devices,’ are like anti-disturbance mines planted in the national territory and activated when there are no other opportunities left to stop an aggression," Yermakov said. "There is only one way to avoid this - not to step onto such a mine. Hence, those who are not planning to attack our country have no grounds for concerns."
According to the diplomat, the most obvious and quickest way for the United States to reduce security risks is "to drop the futile pressure on Russia and attempt to inflict ‘a strategic defeat’ on it.".