Western countries support the Russian opposition. This opinion was expressed by the representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova on the air of the radio station “Moscow speaking”.
“Unfortunately, many EU countries are demonstrating a game of adherence to principles. This applies to many issues – and relations with Russia, the inability and impossibility under pressure from the States to defend their principles, this also applies to human rights issues, when in relation to our non-systemic opposition they deployed a whole arsenal: argumentation, and opportunities for support, and politics, and information – everything, “- said the diplomat.
According to her, the EU turns a blind eye to its internal problems. Zakharova noted that in European countries there are enough examples of political and criminal prosecution of various politicians. In addition, she recalled the problems associated with the founder of WikiLeaks Julian Assange, who is accused of violating the espionage law.
The US Department of Justice filed 17 charges against Assange in May 2019, later adding another. WikiLeaks founder faces up to 175 years in prison if extradited to the United States.
In 2012, fearing extradition to Sweden due to rape charges (the case was dropped in 2019), Assange applied for asylum at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. He was there continuously for almost seven years.