MOSCOW, May 22. /TASS/. Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik said on Monday that Russia needs to be respected and its global role needs to be understood.

"Russia needs to be respected. It’s necessary to understand its role in the world and it needs to be respected," he said in an interview with NTV television.

According to the president of Republika Srpska, which is an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the West’s dislike for Russia and its President Vladimir Putin makes sense because he no longer gives Western countries cheap resources.

"Russians have given cheap gas to Europe, particularly Germany, for an unreasonably long time, for years, strengthening their economy," he said.

Dodik also mentioned the remarks of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz who a year ago stated that Germany would only supply Ukraine with helmets.

"They ended up sending Leopards to Ukraine. We can see that. Why should we believe in their good intentions?" the president said.

Continuing about the Ukrainian conflict, the Republic of Srpska president noted that Western countries claim to be "protectors of people suffering in Ukraine," but they did not protect people in other countries.

"Why didn’t they protect the people in Syria, Libya, or Yugoslavia when the West was bombing us for no reason? This hypocrisy cannot last," Dodik said.