MOSCOW, 4 March. /TASS/. Washington’s decision to prolong anti-Russian sanctions indicates the current policy against Russia is going to last, the director of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of US and Canada Studies, Sergey Rogov, told a news conference on Wednesday.
"The United States had thought the end of the Cold War was its victory. Once there is a winner, then there should be losers. Hence the attitude to Russia as a loser," the analyst said. The Ukrainian events have heralded a slide into another Cold War and contacts have been minimized."
As he dwelt on the US sanctions and their likely duration, Rogov emphasized two aspects.
- Sanctions not to affect Russia’s foreign policy — presidential spokesman
- Russian official says US uses Ukraine conflict as pretext to pressure Russia
- Chechen leader calls on the West to admit failure of sanctions policy toward Russia
- US sanctions extension may derail Ukraine conflict settlement — Russian Foreign Ministry
- Russian lawmakers say prolongation of sanctions is Obama’s gesture of despair
"The United States has adopted a new strategy of national security, where one comes across the doctrine of Russia’s deterrence once again. Firstly, the previous version of the strategy referred to Russia mostly as a partner. Now it is the other way round," Rogov said. "Secondly, after the November elections several laws were passed converting US Administration decisions from executive orders to laws."
"Another Cold War is being legalized. I believe that the Obama Administration’s decision (to prolong sanctions against Russia — TASS), indicates that this policy is bound to last," Rogov said.
He emphatically dismissed the possibility the sanctions may be lifted in a year. "At a time when the presidential campaign will be at its peak? No, nothing of the sort will happen," Rogov said. "Russian-US relations will take years to mend."