Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in a speech at the Munich Security Conference urged Western countries to end confrontation with Russia and instead collaborate with the country to prevent a new 'cold war,' the RIA Novosti news agency reported Saturday.
“There is still no united Europe, all world economies show weak growth. Conflicts rage in the Middle East and Northern Africa, we are in the middle of a migration collapse. Relations between the European Union and Russia are ruined,” Medvedev said, RIA Novosti reported.
Medvedev also described NATO’s relationship with Moscow as “closed” and hostile.
“Almost every day they call Russia the main threat for NATO, Europe, the U.S. and other countries. It makes me wonder if we are in 2016 or in 1962,” he added.
Medvedev called sanctions on Russia ineffective and unprofitable, adding that the sanctions will not have the desired political effect.
The conflict in Ukraine needs to be regulated by the full implementation of the Minsk agreements, the prime minister said, RIA Novosti reported.
Medvedev's speech also focused on the fact that the spread of terrorism has become a global problem.
“Terrorism will become the new type of world war,” he said, adding that the world needs to unite to fight terrorism.
“I think that the Islamic State should thank my colleagues [heads of Western countries] that canceled collaboration with Russia's special services,” Medvedev said.
The Islamic State is a terrorist organization banned in Russia.
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