One of the targets of the United States’ pressure on Russia is Europe, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on April 10, 2016.

“There is no confrontation of two systems now. We all stand basically for one and the same thing, namely freedom, democracy, and market economy,” she said. “We have different views on a number of problems. I don’t think it would be right to speak about another Cold War now.”

“I think one of the targets the United States is hitting is Europe, but the United States cannot hit its ally directly. However, the bullets fired at Russia are ricocheting off Europe, delivering a serious blow to it,” she said.

U.S. rejected Russia’s proposals on missile defense cooperation

Russia’s proposals on missile defense cooperation with the United States have been rejected, President Vladimir Putin said on May 13, 2016.

“We have spoken a lot about our concerns. We proposed cooperation and joint work to our American partners. All this was rejected, as a matter of fact,” Putin said at a meeting on the development of Russia’s defense industry.

He expressed regret that Washington offered no concrete steps on this issue.

Putin also expressed concern over the United States’ creating conditions for breaching the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF).

“The [deployment of the missile shield system in Europe] is an additional threat for us,” Putin said.

“After the United States’ unilateral withdrawal from the anti-ballistic missile treaty, which was clearly the first step towards disrupting the strategic balance of forces in the world, this will be the second blow against the system of international security, i.e. the creation of conditions for breaching the INF Treaty,” the Russian President said. “This causes additional concerns,” Putin said.