Former USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev explained that the country's difficult heritage is to blame for Russia's modern problems, the Russian News Service reported on Tuesday, July 21, with reference to Gorbachev's statement at the presentation of the book by German journalist and political scientist Wilfried Scharnagl, “Changing Course. Polemics in favor of changes in the approach to Russia.”

“A rich country cannot turn around. Yes, because she still cannot cope with the legacy that she inherited from earlier times,” explained the former USSR president.

According to him, “now many are trying to provoke Russia.” “The Germans don’t trust the Russians and Russia, this is what happened now. But I know that there is a big discussion going on right now,” the radio station quotes Gorbachev as saying.

“The statements that both German politicians and Obama have made recently are, to some extent, a reassessment of events. Now it is important not to miss the moment to return to a position of trust and control,” said the ex-president. He added that the UN should help countries achieve the required level of trust.

He also noted signs of some positive signals from Western countries, Interfax clarifies . In his opinion, there are signals from US President Barack Obama and representatives of the German authorities to reassess their current positions towards Russia, which could be used to restore trust between Russia and the West, Gorbachev believes.

“Now we must not miss this moment, develop this process so that we return to a position of trust,” the agency quotes him as saying.

He was the last General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, the last Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, then the first Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the only President of the USSR. In 1990 he received the Nobel Peace Prize. On March 2, 2015, Gorbachev turned 84 years old.

Mikhail Gorbachev explained Russia's problems