Ex-Soviet president urges Russia and the West to give up the logic of reciprocal accusations and sanctions in their relations.

MOSCOW, October 15 /TASS/. Ex-Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev had called on Russia and its Western partners to give up the logic of reciprocal accusations and sanctions in their relations. Western partners’ refusal to take account of Russia’s views and interests is one of the main causes behind the current crisis in global politics, Gorbachev told Rossiyskaya Gazeta daily in an interview on Wednesday. "Today we need to acknowledge that the European and world politics is in crisis. The unwillingness of our western partners to take account of Russia’s views and lawful security interests is one of its causes though not the only one,” the ex-Soviet leader said. Western politicians used to applaud Russia, especially under the rule of Boris Yeltsin, but in fact paid no regard to it and its interests, Gorbachev went on to say. He believes that Russia, Western Europe and the United States should give up the logic of reciprocal accusations and sanctions in their relations. “I believe that Russia has already made this step when it refrained from retaliatory measures after the latest round of Western sanctions. It’s up to our partners now,” the ex-president said adding the sides should give up sanctions against separate individuals in the first place. “How can you conduct a dialogue if you ‘punish’ the people in power who influence politics. It is necessary to talk to each other. It is an axiom which has been needlessly forgotten,” Gorbachev said. The ex-Soviet president is convinced that Russia and the European Union will find points of convergence as soon as they restore their relations. “The disunity between Russia and the European Union is damaging everybody. It is weakening Europe at a time when global competition is growing and when other ‘gravity centers’ of world politics are becoming stronger,” Gorbachev went on to say. He urged world leaders not to be dragged into a new Cold War. “Our common security threats have not vanished. New and extremely dangerous extremist movements such as the ‘Islamic State’ have emerged in recent years. Problems like environment, poverty, migration and epidemics are also aggravating,” Gobachev said adding that Russia and the West could re-find common ground in the face of common challenges. “It is not going to be easy but there is no other way,” the ex-Soviet president emphasized. Read more on itar-tass.com