"I presume that many may not like our position. That is normal. What’s most important is that we have one. Unfortunately, our western colleagues cannot get used to this, and instead of building relations with Russia like an equal partner with its own, quite justified for a large country geopolitical and economic interests, they are trying to present us as a 'second-rate country,' or a 'regional' power at best," Medvedev said.
"But Russia must occupy its rightful place in the world order and have equal relations with other countries. This has been predetermined by our history, and our size, and our participation in large global organizations, primarily being one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. And simply because we are a large military and the largest nuclear power," he added.
Medvedev expressed hope that after Russian delegation's speeches at the Munich Security Conference, the Western partners would discuss what was actually said instead of what many would like to hear from an "aggressive" and "unpredictable" Russia.
The three-day Munich Security Conference focusing on conflict prevention is set to begin on Friday.
Read the full version of the interview here.
