Ukraine Turned Into Toy in Hands of NATO, US, Russia's Medvedev Says

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Ukraine has now turned, to a certain extent, into a toy in the hands of NATO and the United States, and it is used as an instrument of geopolitical pressure on Russia and China, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said in an interview with leading Russian media, including Sputnik.

"Ukraine, unfortunately, has now turned, to a certain extent, into a toy in the hands of NATO and, above all, in the hands of, of course, the United States, since Ukraine is used as an instrument of geopolitical pressure on Russia, as well as on China," Medvedev said.

He also said that the actions of Volodymyr Zelensky as Ukraine's president probably will lead to the destruction of the country.

"I am not disappointed in Zelensky. He did not disappoint me in any way. I believe that he is doing exactly what a person with the level of his training, with the level of his professional suitability for the post of president of Ukraine, should have done. And, unfortunately for him, probably, this eventually leads to the destruction of Ukraine itself," Medvedev said.

He, however, hopes that a decline in tensions in Ukraine is possible in the foreseeable future.

Medvedev believes that eventually, the Ukrainians will get tired of the current tensions and will have to elect a leadership that will pursue a policy aimed at normal economic relations with Russia, achieving a reasonable balance on various issues, including the recognition of Crimea as Russia's part.

When asked to name any Ukrainian politician who would seek to normalise relations with Russia, Medvedev refused to comment on the matter, saying this is incorrect and unpromising.

He also recalled his earlier remark that it makes no sense to negotiate with the current leadership in Ukraine due to its anti-Russian orientation. As an example, he cited the discriminatory law on Ukraine's indigenous peoples, as well as the failure to implement the Minsk agreements on Donbass.

According to Medvedev, it makes no sense to negotiate "with such politicians who lie, do not comply with decisions, who make decisions directed against part of their own population, who do not comply with any international obligations in this sense."

When asked whether he admits the possibility of a direct clash between Russia and NATO if Ukraine decides to take the military path regarding Donbass, Medvedev said:

"It would be the most dramatic, simply catastrophic scenario. And I just hope that this will never happen."

The politician also noted that no one has ever objected to the involvement of the United States in the negotiations on Ukraine.

"No one ever even objected to the involvement of the United States. The Americans are already in the game, as they say. They are actively influencing Ukrainians, they are actively trying to create problems for us. In this regard, let them openly participate and conduct some kind of negotiations, influence, use their channels of influence on Ukraine," Medvedev said, adding that "the main thing is that the Minsk agreements are implemented."

The official noted that the real problem is with the agreements' implementation, as "in words, everyone declares adherence to these agreements, and even Ukrainians talk about it but do nothing."