The Kremlin has reacted optimistically to provisions of the new US National Security Strategy presented this week.

Source: Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency Interfax, citing Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Rossiya 1 TV channel; Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president and Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Commenting on the strategy, Peskov noted that it "contains formulations against confrontation and in favour of dialogue and building good relations".

"On the one hand, it's good. But on the other hand, we know that sometimes everything is written very nicely and conceptually, but what they call the deep state does everything differently. So we need to follow very closely how this concept is implemented," the Kremlin spokesperson added.

Medvedev, in his comments, praised the document for its "realistic assessment of many contemporary challenges".

Although Medvedev remarked that these are "only political declarations" and that the importance of the document should not be exaggerated, he said that to him it looks like "an attempt to turn a large ship that has long been moving by inertia and has finally decided to change course".

"For the first time in many years, Washington is openly talking about the need to restore strategic stability in Eurasia and to improve relations with Russia," he noted.

Background:

• The US National Security Strategy stresses that US policy towards Europe should focus on a return to strategic stability in relations with Russia, giving Europe greater responsibility for its own defence and preventing further NATO enlargement.
• In Europe, the content of the document has been met with criticism. The German foreign minister has rejected US "external advice" regarding Europe, while the Norwegian foreign minister noted that "something similar has been heard from Moscow".
• The European Commission has said that the EU values transatlantic relations, but that decisions concerning the EU will be taken by the EU itself.

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