Medvedev sees U.S. administration's steps toward Russia as "inappropriate, unpredictable"

The U.S. administration is behaving inappropriately and unpredictably, says Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, adding at the same time that he still has a good relationship with U.S. President Barack Obama.

"The question is about the partner's appropriateness and predictability. Unfortunately, the incumbent American administration is behaving inappropriately and unpredictably in this regard, even with all my quite positive attitude toward my colleagues and partners, including the U.S. president," Medvedev said in an interview with leading Russian TV channels on Wednesday.

"It's true that historically we have quite good relations with the U.S. president. I believe he and I did quite a few of useful things at some point, or at least tried to do. But the matter is not about our personal relationship. It is fine, even now," he said.

It is always important to understand what a partner, like the head of state or government, would do, Medvedev said. "And what are the Americans doing? They are imposing sanctions against our country, and they are trying to knock together a special front against Russia. But these are unfriendly actions. This is absolutely obvious," he said.

"The ball is in their court," Medvedev said. "As soon as they want to return to the normal path of relations and choose a different road, we are ready for this, absolutely regardless of who leads the U.S. administration. It's not important what the president's name is. What is important to us is the very essence of relations rather than persons," Medvedev said.