US sanctions against Russia are aimed at regime change in Moscow, said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov (Photo: Reuters)

(VOVworld) – US sanctions against Russia are among Washington’s top priorities foreign policy and are aimed at regime change in Moscow, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Monday at a State Duma hearing on Russia-US relations. Ryabkov said the goal of the US in asking Russia to change its stance on the Ukrainian crisis is, in fact, create regime change in Russia. He added that Russia considers the US sanctions illegal and will not negotiate for them to be lifted. Ryabkov said it would be possible to improve bilateral relations, but that completely depends on the US government changing its current policies.

Alexei Pushkov, Chairman of the State Duma’s Foreign Affairs Committee, said it would be appropriate to describe current relations as another edition of the Cold War, adding that, even so, a military confrontation between Russia and the US is highly unlikely.