"We hope that, with Donald Trump in power and a new administration in the White House, the West will change its approach to counter-terrorism and finally realize that the combat against terrorism does not tolerate double standards or hidden agendas, and that intergovernmental cooperation must involve lawful authorities of a country where the anti-terror operation is conducted," Oleg Syromolotov told Russia’s Izvestiya newspaper.
Syromolotov warned that the scenario where the United States would use radicals to attack "unwanted regimes" in order to assert its dominance in a country only created more problems, as exemplified by ongoing crises in the Middle East and North Africa.
"But, despite the existing differences, Russia and the United States remain natural allies in matters of counter-terrorism. It is in the interests of both countries to enhance and strengthen this partnership," the minister stressed.
Moscow and Washington back opposing forces in Syria where the Islamic State (Daesh) terror group grabbed large swathes of land in 2014, after a string of Arab Spring protests against governments gripped the region. A US-led coalition has been bombing Daesh positions in Syria since September 2014 without consent of Damascus. Russia became involved there militarily a year later at the request of the Syrian government.
