Russian security official blasts Trump over US sanctions, summit fallout

Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, condemned US President Donald Trump after the cancellation of a planned summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the imposition of new US sanctions.

Publishing his remarks on his Telegram channel, Medvedev framed the developments as a decisive rupture in relations with Washington and warned that the United States has effectively adopted a hostile posture toward Russia, Caliber.Az reports.

“Trump cancelled the summit in Budapest. New sanctions against our country from the United States. What else? Will there be new weapons besides the notorious Tomahawks?” Medvedev wrote.

Addressing those who might still hope for rapprochement, he added: “If any of the numerous commentators still harboured illusions — here you go. The US is our enemy, and their loquacious ‘peacemaker’ has now fully taken up the path of war with Russia. Yes, he does not yet always actively fight on the side of Banderite Kyiv, but this is now his conflict, not the marasmatic Biden’s! They will, of course, say that he could do nothing else, that he was pressured in Congress, etc. That does not change the main point: the decisions made are an act of war against Russia. And now Trump has unequivocally aligned himself with the irrational stance of Europe.”

Medvedev went on to argue that the change in US policy contained a tactical silver lining for Moscow, contending it would free Russian forces from the constraints of diplomacy. “But there is an obvious plus in this new swing of the Trump pendulum: one can pound all the Banderite hideouts with a wide variety of weapons without worrying about needless negotiations. And pursue victory precisely where it can be achieved — on the ground, not at the office desk. Destroying enemies, not concluding meaningless ‘deals’,” he wrote.

By Vafa Guliyeva