"If he (the head of the Pentagon. - RT ) considers the main task of his department to contain Russia and China, then this means that the current American administration professes such a philosophy, which is literally overwhelmed by the desire to restrain everyone except itself," the minister said.
According to him, the goal is to eliminate everything that at least somehow restricts freedom of action or “freedom of impunity of the American administration” on the world stage.
He cited the Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missile Treaty, the Open Skies Treaty, the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, UNESCO, the UN Human Rights Council or the World Health Organization as examples.
“This attitude, such a philosophy of the Pentagon’s leader is regrettable, because we are interested in developing a normal dialogue with all countries, including, of course, a country like the USA,” he added.
Esper previously stated that over the year the Pentagon has contained “aggressive actions” committed by countries such as North Korea and Iran, as well as Russia and China.
In the fall of 2019, Esper announced that Russia should behave as “a normal country that shares Western values.”
Russian Foreign and Defense Ministers Sergey Lavrov and Sergey Shoigu commented on Esper’s words at a joint press conference.
RT was broadcast live.