Alexander Solzhenitsyn has sharply criticised some western attitudes and policies toward Russia. He made the comments in an interview with the German magazine Der Spiegel.

One of Russia's leading literary figures, awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his works on Soviet-era repressions, said some countries showed “disastrous shortsightedness” in putting pressure on Russia after the September 11 attacks at a time when Russian help was offered in combating terrorism.

The writer said that Europe's accusations against Russia are based in unjustified fears about energy.

He also said it was too easy to criticise Russia since the country is “just starting to build democracy.”

Solzhenitsyn was exiled by the Soviet leaders in 1974 for his writings. He returned to Russia twenty years later.