Russia causing chaos, conflict, and division: Pompeo

Outgoing US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has accused Russia of sowing "chaos, conflict, and division within countries throughout the region."

In a statement on Tuesday, Pompeo denounced Russia's activities in Libya, Syria, and other Mediterranean countries.

Pompeo, in the statement, claimed Americans were helping US regional allies and partners in the Eastern Mediterranean to "promote greater stability, security, and prosperity."

Meanwhile, the former spymaster said, Russia "continues to threaten Mediterranean stability using a variety of techniques to spread disinformation, undermine national sovereignty, and sow chaos, conflict, and division within countries throughout the region."

Pompeo accused Russia of working to undermine US diplomatic efforts. "All of these actions clearly demonstrate ... [Moscow] is playing political games and trying to stall progress in regional conflicts."

Russia "only acts to advance its own interests to the detriment of the entire region," Pompeo said.

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Earlier this month, Russia’s foreign minister had noted that Moscow and Beijing would never give in to US hegemonic rule of the world.

"The West is trying to, I have no doubts, resurrect the unipolar world order. Such poles as China and Russia are unlikely to be subservient to it,” Russia's Tass news agency quoted Lavrov as saying.

Russia’s deputy foreign minister had also expressed a bleak view about any improvement of ties between Moscow and Washington even after the assumption of power by US President-elect Joe Biden on January 20.

Speaking at a meeting of the presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow in late November, Sergei Ryabkov said Russia cannot be optimistic about improvements with the lame duck president's departure, hoping for a “dynamic improvement” in diplomatic ties with the US.

He said with the advent of Biden's administration there was "no chance" of an improvement in bilateral relation. 

“The inertia of approaches to Russia, which is embedded in the doctrinal principles of the United States, and in a whole series of legislative acts and other initiatives, which were nominated and passed through the Congress, and most importantly, the almost total coincidence of views on modern Russia in the American mainstream, leave no chance of moving along an upward trajectory, at least in the medium term,” Ryabkov said.

In related news, Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Biden over his victory in the hugely disputed 2020 presidential election.

“For my part, I am ready for interaction and contacts with you,” the Russian leader emphasized in his congratulatory statement on Tuesday.

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