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Press TV has interviewed political analyst Gordon Duff to talk about the sanctions the European Union has imposed on Russia over the crisis in Ukraine.

What follows is an approximate transcription of the interview:

Press TV: What are you reading from the latest situation coming out of Moscow, now basically saying that Ukraine should look at making this a state, as far as... what exactly do you think [Russian President Vladimir] Putin means by this?

Duff: I think that he is engaged in a political lawn game, playing with what he looks at as an attempted and resurgent NATO. NATO lost its military heath many years ago that it is trying to recreate its military presence right on Russia's border, built out of Polish artillery units, American missile systems, America's Navy in his backyard in the Black Sea and the American bases in Romania, while the heart of NATO, the third army, of 500,000 men in the middle of Germany, those people are long since gone.

The real NATO is long since gone. NATO right now is playing a simple political game, and frankly, I think he sees signs that NATOs lawn game is to move into Russia itself and do the same thing in Russia that they have done in Kiev.

Press TV: Well, in general Mr. Duff, you are saying that basically NATO has lost its bite compared to before. So, if this is the case, why are they continuing, it appears, to pressure Moscow? Because as you said, they are right on Russia's border and know basically that it is just a matter of time before the Russians really react. So, why do you see what appears to be this exerted pressure by NATO right now on Russia?

Duff: Well, I think NATO's, and by NATO, I am really talking about the little gang that lives around Victoria Nuland, people out of the state department and the oligarchs and neo-fascists out of Kiev. They have a counterpart in Moscow. If Putin allows himself to be pushed in Moscow where he becomes repressive, if sanctions have an adequate affect to destroy the Russian economy, they are going to weaken Russia.

Russia is the real prize. Nobody wants the Ukraine and NATO. Nobody wants the Ukraine and tens of millions of job seekers to flow into the EU, which is already in an economic disaster.

What they want is access to Russia's unlimited resources and Russia has left itself economically vulnerable. Its mistake it had made when they developed a mono economy. Experts are seeing that. There is a strong fifth column in Moscow and they are hoping Putin makes mistakes and he has not been making mistakes. He is going to end up crushing the European Union unless they buckle under to what he wants. We are seeing that happen.

Press TV: We are seeing also more sanctions now being put on Moscow. If you monitor mainstream media, they are talking about the pressure that Moscow is actually feeling as if to say that is actually just Russia that is under pressure. What about these economic sanctions though? How has it affected actually the opposite parties? The Europeans themselves, and will Russia increase sanctions against the EU in your perspective?

Duff: You don't have to do anything to the EU that they are not already doing to themselves. The German economy is heading toward a tail spin. Thousands of German industries have gone to their government and asked them to abandon the idea of sanctions. Russia is their biggest market. It is going to destroy the German economy which is far more fragile than people admit. France is looking at the same thing. These sanctions are already hitting stronger in the EU and it is going to be a game to see who lasts longer. Putin has the political will that you will not see out of the EU and Germany has really already blinked.