West, Russia should put aside differences to defeat terrorism

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev chairs a cabinet meeting in Moscow, Russia, November 12, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

MANILA - Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Wednesday that his country can beat terrorism on its own but the best option would be for Moscow and the West to put aside their differences and fight it together.

Speaking at a summit of Asia-Pacific nations in Manila, Medvedev said the West's boycott of Russia looked "weird" in light of last week's militant attacks in Paris and the Oct. 31 bombing of a Russian airliner over Egypt.

"An act of terror with our plane and the terror attack in Paris ... have sharpened the global political agenda," he said.

"The war is declared against the whole civilised world. The threat is global and, alas, is real. So the stance of some Western countries on Russia looks weird," Medvedev said, adding the West's stance towards Moscow was short-sighted.

"I do believe we should be together in this fight."