A member of the Duma Committee on Foreign Affairs, Maria Butina, said that the words of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, that Russia can not have a sphere of influence, indicate the problems of the Alliance itself, Izvestia reported
According to the politician, the United States has clearly demonstrated to the world that it is not a reliable partner, in particular because of the “escape” from Afghanistan: Washington’s influence has significantly decreased. Butina noted that according to the concept of political realism, there is constant competition between countries.
“When one becomes stronger, the other correspondingly becomes weaker, because the resource of political influence in one way or another on the territory of the world is limited. Therefore, it is clear why NATO is now making such statements, resenting the fact that Russia has geopolitical interests. Because they understand that they are losing influence”, – Butina told Duma TV.
Earlier, North Atlantic Alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Moscow had no “sphere of influence” over neighbouring countries and that Russia could not obstruct Ukraine’s membership of NATO. Russian Federation Senator Alexei Pushkov believes that the Secretary General should tell Washington about spheres of influence that it is unacceptable to have spheres of influence thousands of kilometres away from the shores of the United States.