Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that Moscow did not plan to wage war on anyone, but added that a world order where one leader tells others what to do would not be tolerated.
“There clearly is an attempt to restrain our development with different means. There is an attempt to freeze the existing world order… with one incontestable leader who wants to remain as such thinking he is allowed everything while other are only allowed what he allows and only in his interests,” Mr. Putin said, Reuters reported.
“This world order will never suit Russia… But we are not going to wage war on anyone, we are going to cooperate with all,” he said during a meeting with labor unions in the southern city of Sochi, Reuters reported.
The comments were the first from Mr. Putin since he met with French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the crisis in Ukraine on Friday.
Russia continues to deny that is is arming pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine and Mr. Putin again stressed that Western sanctions imposed on Russia in retaliation over its role in the conflict.
“Sanctions — in the end I think they will not bring joy to anyone and they clearly can’t be efficient with regards to a country like ours although they are causing a certain damage to us. And we should understand this and increase our sovereignty level including in the economy,” Mr. Putin said, Reuters reported.
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• Kellan Howell can be reached at khowell@washingtontimes.com.
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