MOSCOW (Realist English). President Vladimir Putin believes that Western leaders are trying to “blame on Russia their own economic mistakes”.
“They urge their citizens to tighten their belts, put on warmer clothes and point to the sanctions they impose against us as the reason for the deterioration of their situation. It all looks very strange, especially since we are fulfilling all our obligations to supply energy resources. Everything, in full. We deliver everything that we have to. Even the GTS (gas transporting system) of the Ukraine is 100% filled in. This is surprising, but it’s a fact. And prices are rising there. But it’s not our fault, it’s the result of their own miscalculations. There’s nothing to blame on us. The same applies to the rise in oil prices in the United States. They announced that they were closing the access of Russian oil to the American market, prices there are high, inflation is unprecedentedly high. It has reached a historical maximum. They are trying to blame the results of their own mistakes on us! We have absolutely nothing to do with this,” Putin said during a meeting with members of the Cabinet of Ministers.
The Russian leader has no doubt that these sanctions would have been imposed anyway:
“One way or another, they were introduced during many, many years. Even after the collapse of the USSR, many sanctions did not cease to act. Yes, the sanctions’ pressure is complex now and it creates certain difficulties for us, but we will overcome them now as always. We need to go through this period. The economy is certainly adapting to the new situation. And in the end, all this will lead to an increase in our independence and sovereignty. We know very well that many countries have already adapted to living with their backs bent and obsequiously accepting all the decisions of their sovereign. Russia cannot exist in such a miserable and humiliated state. Sooner or later, all this had to happen. It has happened now, and I am sure that we will overcome all these difficulties.”
According to the President, Russia is not going to shut itself off from anyone. “We are open to all our partners,” he stressed.
The Head of State expressed his opinion on the issue of nationalization of companies leaving Russia:
“Those who are going to shut down production – it is necessary to act decisively here. It is necessary to introduce external management and transfer these enterprises to those who want to work. There are enough market instruments, there is no need to allow any arbitrariness. We will find a legal solution to these issues.”
By imposing sanctions against Russia, the West has started an economic war and is trying to create a shortage of goods in the country, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said at a meeting of the President with the Cabinet of Ministers.
He added that “the West has defaulted on its financial obligations to Russia and froze our gold and foreign exchange reserves,” trying in every way to stop foreign trade, exports of goods, thereby damaging world trade.
