IN BRIEF: Kremlin spokesman covers NATO’s nature, US sanctions

IN BRIEF: Kremlin spokesman covers NATO’s nature, US sanctions According to Dmitry Peskov, Russia has largely adapted to the sanctions and has also found ways to reduce the negative effects of their implementationRussian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov© Sergey Bobylev/POOL/TASSMOSCOW, September 21. /TASS/. NATO’s nature and military exercises, the work of the State Duma (Russia’s parliament), as well as US "sanctions from hell" against Russia were the main topics of Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov’s briefing. TASS has compiled the key statements by the Kremlin spokesman. On NATO’s essence - NATO’s essence has not changed over the years. The bloc was created as a tool of confrontation and remains so: "Nothing changes in the nature of the North Atlantic Alliance over the years. The bloc was created at one point for confrontation, and it remains a tool of confrontation." - NATO’s military exercises in the Baltic Sea also involve practicing the seizure of commercial vessels: "NATO is practicing the interception of commercial vessels. This is very important to note, this nuance." On US sanctions - The US law imposing sanctions on Russia’s oil and gas exports, which the press has described as "hellish sanctions," does not contribute to reviving bilateral relations or furthering the Ukrainian settlement: "This does not contribute to reviving our relations and is unlikely to contribute to more successful progress toward a Ukrainian settlement." - Russia has largely adapted to the sanctions and has also found ways to reduce the negative effects of their implementation: "More than 30,000 different sanctions have been imposed on Russia – corporate, sectoral, against individuals and so on. Of course, Russia has largely adapted to these sanctions and has found ways to minimize the negative effects of their implementation." - Russia’s trading partners have expressed their complete rejection of such a policy toward the country as the imposition of US "sanctions from hell": "We are in constant contact with our trading partners. You have already heard statements in which they assessed such possible secondary restrictions. They are all unanimous in their complete rejection of this policy." On elections in Germany - The victory of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in the elections is Germany’s internal affair, and the Kremlin would not like to comment on it in depth: "This is Germany’s internal affair, and here we would not like to comment on anything in depth." - The Kremlin sees sufficiently low popularity figures for Germany’s current government: "At the same time, we note sufficiently low popularity and approval-rating figures for the current government in Germany." - The Kremlin sees figures indicating a decline in the competitiveness of Germany’s economy, which is Europe’s largest economy: "We note figures related to the development of Germany’s economy and the decline in the competitiveness of the German economy, and this is, after all, the largest economy in Europe." - The decline in Germany’s economic competitiveness is largely due to the country’s decision to stop buying cheap Russian gas: "We note that much of the decline in the competitiveness of Germany’s economy is due to the fact that Germany stopped buying cheap Russian gas and began buying very expensive gas. Sometimes, the gas is several times more expensive on the spot market in other countries, primarily the United States." - German residents are seeking an alternative to the current government in order to improve their economic situation: "Naturally, Germans, at least some of them, are looking for an alternative to the current government in order to improve their situation. This is a natural process." On statements by leaders of France’s National Rally - Russia categorically disagrees with and rejects statements by National Rally leaders Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella that Moscow is threatening Paris in order to change its policies: "We disagree with this statement. Russia threatens no one and blackmails no one. Therefore, we categorically disagree with such statements and reject them." - Moscow has no disputes with any European countries that could become a source of conflict: "We have no disputes with any European states that could be the cause of any serious disagreements." - Russia is not threatening any European state: "Russia is not threatening France or any European state. President Putin has said this on multiple occasions." On the situation in Alyoshki - The situation in the town of Alyoshki in the Kherson Region, where shelling and drone attacks from Kiev have made it impossible to deliver food or medicine, is "truly critical": "There are indeed problems with delivering food and medicine there. The Kiev regime is literally doing everything to obstruct these deliveries. Drones are constantly hovering in the air, killing people." - The Russian military is working to resolve the humanitarian crisis in Alyoshki: "Our troops continue to work to resolve this situation." On the State Duma’s work - Putin "highly" rates the results of the work of the 8th State Duma. - The Kremlin declined to answer whether, in Putin’s view, the position of State Duma speaker should remain with Vyacheslav Volodin: "As for various prospects, I would not comment on that in any way. You know that we generally do not comment on personnel matters." 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