MINSK, 3 August (BelTA) - The period of constructive cooperation between Russia and Western countries is gone for good, regardless of the outcome of Russia's special operation in Ukraine, Alexey Drobinin, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Foreign Policy Planning Department, said in an article published on the International Affairs magazine's website, TASS reports.
“Regardless of the duration and outcome of the special military operation, even now we can acknowledge that a three-decade-long period of mostly constructive, if problematic cooperation with the West is gone for good,” Alexey Drobinin said.
"It is clear that there will be no return to the situation before 24 February in relations with North American and European countries," the diplomat said.
Russia is interested in cooperation with all neighbors, including in the Euro-Atlantic region, but not at the cost of unilateral concessions, especially to those who have declared Russia the main threat, Alexey Drobinin said. In such realities, cooperation with unfriendly countries is only possible on a one-time transactional basis “in cases where Russia would benefit and where there is no suitable alternative,” the diplomat added.
