Vladimir Putin har svekket det sivile samfunn i Russland. Samtidig bruker Russland energi som et utpressingsmiddel. Det er en svært uheldig utvikling, som kan få konsekvenser for Russlands forhold til omverdenen, sa Dick Cheney på en konferanse i Vilnius for tidligere sovjet-republikker og østblokkland.

In his speech, Cheney said opponents of reform in Russia «are seeking to reverse the gains of the last decade» after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet empire.

«In many areas of civil society — from religion and the news media to advocacy groups and political parties — the government has unfairly and improperly restricted the rights of her people,» Cheney said.

«Other actions by the Russian government have been counterproductive and could begin to affect relations with other countries,» he said.

Cheney said «no legitimate interest is served when oil and gas become tools of intimidation or blackmail … and no one can justify actions that undermine the territorial integrity of a neighbor or interfere with democratic movements.»

Cheney’s Sharp Criticism Miffs Russia