ST. PETERSBURG, June 24 /TASS/. Countries of the Global South view the current international situation and the historical experience of colonialism in much the same way as Russia, Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum (SPILF).

He noted that Russia actively addresses the issue of mopping up the residue left by neo-colonialism, including through the United Russia party. According to Medvedev, cooperation with Global South countries is based on a shared understanding of historical injustice and the current structure of international relations.

"Countries of the Global South look at the current situation, as well as at centuries of history, in roughly the same way as we do," Medvedev said.

He stressed that Moscow finds it easier to conduct such dialogue because Russia, the Soviet Union, and the Russian Empire "never had colonies" and "did not commit the crimes that European nations committed."

Medvedev noted that European countries are now trying to distance themselves from their colonial past, but history cannot erase the exploitation of entire continents. "They extensively exploited entire continents, extracting natural resources and money, and turning people into slaves. This cannot be forgotten," he said.