Russia's President Vladimir Putin on Sunday said that the main cause of his country's difference with the US and its allies was its strong opposition to creation of a unipolar world fitting Washington's agenda, media reports said.
Moscow is striving to create a multipolar world rather than one that is centred around the US, he said in an interview to Rossiya-1 TV channel, RT reported.
The Russian President claimed that America's "satellite states" are also well aware of the US' "egoistic" intentions, but, have chosen to ignore it, for the time being, "due to various reasons connected first and foremost with huge dependence in the economic sphere and defence".
He also contended that some of Washington's allies also see confrontation with Russia as a unifying cause. He cited the US government's efforts to attract European businesses to American soil, as well as a submarine deal last year where Australia suddenly junked a contract with a French manufacturer in favour of its US rival.
Putin emphasised that Russia "cannot and will not behave like this". "In the end, such a stance - the fight for a multipolar world, for respect for each and everyone in the international arena, for taking into account everyone's interests - I don't have the slightest doubt, will prevail," he said.
The Russian leader also claimed that Western elites will only be "satisfied" and prepared to "admit us into the so-called family of civilised nations" if Russia disintegrates into several independent states, where the the West would "place (the resulting countries) under its control".
On his decision earlier this week to suspend Russia's participation in the New START Treaty - the last remaining nuclear accord between Moscow and Washington - he said that the move was required to safeguard his country's security as well as its "strategic stability".
According to the Russian President, he opted for this course of action in light of a more aggressive NATO, which has announced that "its prime goal is Russia's strategic defeat".