MOSCOW, July 3. /TASS/. Transatlantic solidarity does not guarantee the absence of disagreements between the United States and Europe, which inevitably emerge and accumulate, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin told reporters on Wednesday.

"Transatlantic solidary and rivalry is not an issue of the past few years. This is a decades-long issue," he noted. "America and Europe have always been friends and competed with each other at the same time. What is different about it is that the balance of powers has changed. America became stronger, while Europe became relatively weaker, having lost its former positions, although it has expanded due to the integration processes."

According to Pankin, disagreements based on national interests have always existed in international relations. "It is impossible to think in unison, work in unison and, at the same time, compete on global markets, which are developing at a record pace and in all directions," Pankin went on to say. "How is it possible to combine rivalry and great friendships under these circumstances? That’s why competition for markets, money, and for survival will continue."

On the other hand, global rivalry does not exclude a global unifying agenda in the face of common threats, he noted, adding that these include, first and foremost, terrorism and natural disasters.