Problematic and Toxic Diplomat Kislyak: Russia Will Not Bend to the Whims of the United States!

– Today in our studio and we are very glad, perhaps, well it's true, they write that you are the most toxic politician in the USA.

– I don't believe that.

– Sergey Kislyak, former Ambassador of Russia to the USA, now the representative of Mordovia in the Federation Council. Hello once again. We have recently watched you and now we worry for Rand Paul, whom you recently had a conversation with, in Moscow, and how the American media would react. We know that you discussed terrible, from the point of intrusion, topics: weather in Moscow and Texas. This was eavesdropped by the reporters. But to be serious, we want you to listen to the announcement by Heather Nauert from the State Department, which was made last night: what's the purpose of the sets of sanctions which were suddenly announced. Let's listen.

– North Korea is a great example. Sanctions as a way to get rid of their nuclear program. Once again Iran; you have a twelve-article list. It's also clear with Venezuela. I'm trying to understand: what's your policy with Russia? You have a myriad of sanctions for them. What's your goal?

Heather Nauert: Well, I think the President and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have already addressed this. We'd like to have a better relationship with the Russian government, recognizing that we have mutual interests in many areas. So the sanctions are a tool which we use to try to encourage a government to improve their behavior.

– Encourage a government to improve their behavior. But it's not a nursery or a school.

Sergey Kislyak: It's not a nursery, it's a philosophy. It's a philosophy rooted in the fundamental documents of the current administration. If you take a look at the concept of national security, there is a section, humbly titled "economic diplomacy". All of this economic diplomacy is a means of economic pressure with the aim of completing American tasks. Besides, the word "sanctions" isn't even featured there. It's all written in their own tongue: pressure, coercion. It's a set of tools which, according to this concept, should be used in order to avoid using military force to complete American tasks. It's a philosophy. Look how abrasive, meaning emery, the current administration acts not only towards us but towards many others. But perhaps it's more abrasive towards us because there's a rooted stereotype that Russia challenges the USA and that's why it's the main and most formidable threat to them now.

– It's interesting that in the past we saw and, frankly speaking, supposed and felt that this attitude is special. This specific attitude towards Russia. Now it seems, correct me if I'm wrong, the current American administration is trying to put that Russia is at the same level as Syria and North Korea. It sounds like that even in the questions. Even in the terms of the sanctions, laws from the 90's, which were used against Syria and North Korea, are being used. Are they trying to, at least rhetorically, put us on the same level as them?

– I don't think so. I think that Russia was, is, and will be a special country in the world and that's why they look at us this way. Moreover, if you take a look at their internal debate, correspondence; for example, the latest letter of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations where he writes straight out that Russia's greatest problem is the consolidation of the President's power and, most importantly, Russia's policy to undermine America, I quote: undermine America, not even its interests. That's the most important thing that blurs their vision. Though it's not remotely true.

– Dmitry Medvedev, while in Kamchatka, called that almost a war. Is it really that bad?

– I do think that the relationship is pretty bad. And the current US administration and their view on the world is obviously to blame for that. I had already said here that the main problem with us and the Americans, and not only with us, is that they consider themselves to be exceptional and that the world in the 21st century should be American. Even in their official documents, they present Russia and China as countries which try to revise the world which the Americans built for themselves. That's why now is the moment when the Americans need to have revenge; and with their tools, including economic pressure, they're trying to do it now.

– Tell me please, a reporter asked the representative of the State Department what do they want from us; because we see the measures they take and one can't say that they are ineffective. The previous day the exchange rate of the ruble fell, then it rose a little bit again, not quite to the level it used to be at, the stocks of some companies went from pillar to post, sorry for the slang. So this is effective, some measures do work. It's not colossal damage, but it still bites. What are they trying to achieve? Somebody says that maybe we should give them something? Maybe fulfill some wish of theirs? Some people even suggest letting them visit those chemical facilities. Though it will surely be…

– What chemical facilities?

– Those they want, those they name.

– About where to let them or not: one should carefully read the law. It was intentionally made so loosely so one can demand to visit any place under this law. And that's the point of the measures envisaged there which is absolutely unacceptable. In fact, everything is done there in such a way that a country which goes under US sanctions has to dance to the American tune. And that's the main thing. It's more important than everything else. About sanctions, I used this term myself, but I'd like to emphasize that what they do is not sanctions. In their own official documents, it's called rather simply: measures of economic influence, pressure, coercion. They have neither the moral nor legal right for the sanctions.

– What are they coercing us into? What should we do?

– In the frame of the US domestic political clashes, Russia is rather viciously presented as a country that defies the USA. This on its own has almost become a clichè which nobody among the political elite discusses. So the most important task is to restrain Russia, though to restrain from what? We are not going to attack the Americans, of course. The most important thing is that Russia should fit into the provisions which the Americans specify both for regional situations and for the relations in Eurasia. And this is the most important task for them: that everybody fits into what the Americans want to build for themselves.

– Well, yes, we did suggest them. For example, Putin suggested to Bush a long time ago to use the Gabala Radar station together, in order to avoid problems with missile defense. No, they said no. And before the Iranian variant? To fully suspend relations, in fact, this is envisaged now: reducing the diplomatic relations, blocking operations via debt, almost de-dollarization, as it is called now. Will it work?

– In such an apocalyptic scenario as you presented, it will probably not.

– But it's written for the first time ever.

– They won't have enough power. Moreover, the Americans must also think about the aftermath which will damage their own economy. Besides, Russia won't just sit and watch this and do nothing. The Americans also have large companies which work within the Russian market and they will have to think how they will exist here in the conditions of an economic war. Moreover, take the alleged flight ban on Russian planes to America. One should take a thought that American planes fly above Russian territory. A great many. So who will lose more, if they go down this warpath? I think it will create problems for them too. So, unfortunately, what happens now is written in the law which already enchains the President, even if he would like to act softer. But I still think that they are not prepared for the apocalyptic scenarios you talk about. But of course there's the practice of economic pressure in the name of political aims, including the domestic ones, in order to prove to their opponents that the President and his circle can take a stand against Russia no less than the Democrats and those who argue against Russia, and this, unfortunately, is a part of the political space which influences our relationship. So that's why I think that a tough talk with them is ahead of us. A difficult task lies ahead of us to make sure that even in the conditions of the measures they try to take against us the Russian economy will continue to develop and stabilize, gradually. I think we have enough resources for that. And generally speaking, if one takes a thought about what the Americans do, not only to us, generally we project all of this onto our interests, as any country would do. Take a look at the whole world. How many countries are under American sanctions? And not only under sanctions, even under the measures of tariff pressure.

– Those partners, Canada. Canada, who would ever think of that?

– And all is around political disputes, especially with Turkey. The Americans are starting to lose a sense of predictability. And they're starting to lose... They still are a huge economy and still a very affluent economy, it's here to stay. But it has rivals now, even economic ones: China. And there will be new rivals. I'm sure that Russia will overcome all of this and will develop quite rigidly and calmly, despite everything. But the Americans are biting the hand that feeds them.

– They'd rather bite it off faster. Anyway, tell me, will something change in November? Let's imagine, let's say jokingly: we "interfered". Everything goes well for Trump in November. It's me, not you. Everything goes well for Trump, yes.

– The Americans lose the sense of humor.

– It's true, I say that intentionally. Anyway, can something change in November after the mid-term elections? The optimists say that we should wait until they get done with the mid-term elections and everything will be okay.

– I don't think it would become okay automatically, even if they calm down a little bit.

– Then not so hard.

– You know, it can be not so hard only when a rather quiet political situation will establish in the USA. Because in many ways, the relationship with Russia became hostages of their domestic situation. The situation now is all about a hysterical struggle by the Democrats and part of the Republicans against their own President. The whole liberal press is against the White House. The intelligence agencies turn up the pressure too. So in these conditions, everything connected to Russia is forced in such a way, that it has become toxic. It's not me who is toxic. Their situation is toxic. That's where the problem of leveling the relations rises.

– You are a viable and public politician now, after a long term of diplomatic work. How are you? The people must be asking you now not about America but about prices, tariffs and so on.

– Yes, and about taxes.

– Thank you so much. Sergey Kislyak in our studio.