Russian PM warns of ‘new Cold War’

Munich, February 13 

The world has plunged into a "new Cold War", Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said today, as East-West tensions over Syria and Ukraine dominated a gathering of world leaders in Germany.

With tensions high over the lingering Ukraine conflict and Russia's backing of the Syrian regime, Medvedev said: "All that's left is an unfriendly policy of NATO against Russia".

"We can say it even more clearly: We have slid into a new period of Cold War," he said, speaking at the Munich Security Conference.

"Almost every day we are accused of making new horrible threats either against NATO as a whole, against Europe or against the US or other countries."

Medvedev criticised the expansion of NATO and EU influence deep into formerly Soviet-ruled eastern Europe since the end of the Cold War.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State John Kerry told the Munich Security Conference that Russia must stop targeting moderate rebels in Syria and pull its troops out of Ukraine. "To date, the vast majority of Russia's attacks (in Syria) have been against legitimate opposition groups," Kerry told the audience. “To adhere to the agreement it made, Russia's targeting must change," he said, referring to the international deal forged yesterday, in which foreign ministers agreed to seek a "cessation of hostilities" in Syria within a week.

He spoke shortly after Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said the world had "slid into a new period of Cold War."

 "Every single day, Russian troops, Russian weapons, Russian ammunition penetrate into my country," said Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko.

He addressed Russia's President, who was not present, saying: "Mr (Vladimir) Putin, this is not a civil war in Ukraine, this is your aggression. This is not a civil war in Crimea, this is your soldiers who occupied my country."

Kerry emphasised that sanctions on Russia would remain in place until it implements all aspects of the Ukraine peace agreement reached in Belarus' capital Minsk last year.

"Russia has a simple choice: fully implement Minsk or continue to face economically damaging sanctions," he said.

An emotional Poroshenko also warned that "pro-Russian parties" were undermining Europe from within with an alternative set of values.

"Isolationism, intolerance, disrespect of human rights, religious fanatics, homophobia-this alternative Europe has a leader. His name is Mr Putin."

Medvedev had earlier criticised the expansion of NATO and EU influence deep into formerly Soviet-ruled Eastern Europe, which Russia still sees as its sphere of influence.

But he also struck a more positive note, saying: "Our positions differ, but they do not differ as much as 40 years ago when a wall was standing in Europe." — AFP