DVORIKI VILLAGE /Vladimir region/, August 11. /TASS/. The United States is trying to keep Europe in the Trans-Atlantic alliance and, at the same time, to brazenly ensure its energy companies’ interests, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a meeting with the participants in the Territory of Meanings on the Klyazma National Educational Youth Forum on Friday.

"While the struggle to preserve Western domination is underway, our American counterparts are using the current situation, including the anti-Russian approaches by its allies in Europe to, firstly, keep Europe within the so-called Euro-Atlantic solidarity, that is, to preserve the role of NATO, which cannot operate without the US and, at the same time, think about its economic interests," he noted.

According to Russia’s top diplomat, "the latest package of anti-Russian sanctions has definitely triggered opposition in Europe, because it makes it clear that it is necessary to purchase gas in the US, in spite of the fact that is much more expensive."

"That is, [the US is trying] to keep Europe in the Trans-Atlantic alliance and, at the same time, think about the interests of its energy companies. This is done impudently by using totally unfair methods of competition."