Russian Security Council: US Laying Grounds for NATO-Like Digital Alliance

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The United States are, in fact, creating foundations for a digital alliance like NATO, where member states will be deprived of the right to make decisions, Russian Security Council First Deputy Secretary Yury Averyanov told Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

The official recalled in an interview with the Russian newspaper, issued on Sunday, that the participants of the US-led Summit for Democracy "discussed in detail" high technologies.

"The idea here is simple: if you want the White House to recognize your country as democratic, introduce such technological standards so that the US would be able to defend your democracy at its convenience, for example, by influencing elections in your country or controlling media," Averyanov said.

"In fact, foundations for a digital alliance like NATO are being laid, where the right to make decisions will be taken from sovereign states, and participants will be ordered to follow the rules that Google, Apple or Amazon will write for them. And here you are, the so-called American standards democracy," Averyanov said.

The Russian politician said that the US was aware that the short period of post-Cold War American hegemony was inevitably coming to an end.

"The US military dominance in the world is no longer absolute, in many areas the US has to catch up with Russia and China," Averyanov added.

Washington is gradually losing its economic influence as well, according to Averyanov.

"On the global political stage, Washington is no longer seen as the absolute truth even by separate strategic partners of the US, let alone other actors," Averyanov said.

The virtual Summit for Democracy was set up by Washington this week and was attended by over 100 countries. Russia and China were not included.