ST. PETERSBURG, June 24. /TASS/. Some members of European elites would like Russia to face a defeat and collapse, which explains the belligerent rhetoric of European politicians, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum.

"Some European elites - not all of them - wish for Russia’s defeat and our collapse. The belligerent rhetoric we have been hearing from officials in Brussels, Paris, Berlin, and London stems from this very desire," he noted.