West using sanctions to undermine Russia: Putin
5 Dec 2014 11:38 PM GMT
Addressing hundreds of dignitaries, lawmakers and officials in his annual state of the nation address at the Kremlin, Putin said however that Russia would not sever ties with the West despite raging confrontation with Brussels and Washington over the Ukraine conflict.
“Every time someone believes Russia has become too strong, independent, these instruments get applied immediately,” Putin said, referring to sanctions. The West “would have thought up some other excuse to contain Russia’s growing possibilities”, failing the current tension over Crimea and Ukraine, Putin said.
But the Russian strongman dismissed Russia’s mounting economic troubles as the economy slides into recession under the pressure of Western sanctions and falling oil prices.
“We are ready to take upon any challenge and win.” Employing extremely emotional language, Putin said that Crimea, which Moscow seized from Ukraine in March, had a “sacred” significance for Russia, comparing it to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
“That is how we will treat this,” Putin said. “From now and forever.” He said Russia would not scale back its ties with the West despite bitter confrontation over the Ukraine crisis which saw Brussels and Washington slap several rounds of sanctions against Moscow this year. “Under no circumstances are we going to scale back our ties with Europe, America, at the same time we will revive and expand traditional ties with the south of the American continent, will continue cooperation with Africa, with countries in the Middle East,” he said.
“Every time someone believes Russia has become too strong, independent, these instruments get applied immediately,” Putin said, referring to sanctions. The West “would have thought up some other excuse to contain Russia’s growing possibilities”, failing the current tension over Crimea and Ukraine, Putin said.
But the Russian strongman dismissed Russia’s mounting economic troubles as the economy slides into recession under the pressure of Western sanctions and falling oil prices.
“We are ready to take upon any challenge and win.” Employing extremely emotional language, Putin said that Crimea, which Moscow seized from Ukraine in March, had a “sacred” significance for Russia, comparing it to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
“That is how we will treat this,” Putin said. “From now and forever.” He said Russia would not scale back its ties with the West despite bitter confrontation over the Ukraine crisis which saw Brussels and Washington slap several rounds of sanctions against Moscow this year. “Under no circumstances are we going to scale back our ties with Europe, America, at the same time we will revive and expand traditional ties with the south of the American continent, will continue cooperation with Africa, with countries in the Middle East,” he said.
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