PUTIN SAYS RUSSIA'S ENEMIES SEEK TO DESTROY ITS ECONOMY
December 4, 2014 - 15:53 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - President Vladimir Putin accused Russia's enemies
on Thursday, Dec 4, of seeking to carve it up and destroy its economy
to punish it for growing strong, according to Reuters.
He accused the West of "pure cynicism" in Ukraine and said economic
sanctions must drive Russians to develop their own economy.
The ruble fell as he spoke to an ornate hall packed with dignitaries,
delivering a speech that showed no sign of turning back from policies
that have brought his country to confrontation with the West unseen
since the Cold War.
Russia's "enemies of yesterday" wished on it the same fate as
Yugoslavia in the 1990s, he said in the speech, which ran for more
than an hour and was interrupted repeatedly by applause.
"There is no doubt they would have loved to see the Yugoslavia
scenario of collapse and dismemberment for us - with all the tragic
consequences it would have for the peoples of Russia. This has not
happened. We did not allow it," he said.
So determined was the West to destroy Russia, he said, that sanctions
would have been imposed even without the crisis in Ukraine.
"I am certain that if all this did not take place... they would come
up with another reason to contain Russia's growing capabilities," he
said. "Whenever anyone thinks Russia has become strong, they resort
to this instrument."
"We will never pursue the path of self-isolation, xenophobia,
suspicion and search for enemies. All this is a manifestation of
weakness, while we are strong and self-confident," Putin said.
December 4, 2014 - 15:53 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - President Vladimir Putin accused Russia's enemies
on Thursday, Dec 4, of seeking to carve it up and destroy its economy
to punish it for growing strong, according to Reuters.
He accused the West of "pure cynicism" in Ukraine and said economic
sanctions must drive Russians to develop their own economy.
The ruble fell as he spoke to an ornate hall packed with dignitaries,
delivering a speech that showed no sign of turning back from policies
that have brought his country to confrontation with the West unseen
since the Cold War.
Russia's "enemies of yesterday" wished on it the same fate as
Yugoslavia in the 1990s, he said in the speech, which ran for more
than an hour and was interrupted repeatedly by applause.
"There is no doubt they would have loved to see the Yugoslavia
scenario of collapse and dismemberment for us - with all the tragic
consequences it would have for the peoples of Russia. This has not
happened. We did not allow it," he said.
So determined was the West to destroy Russia, he said, that sanctions
would have been imposed even without the crisis in Ukraine.
"I am certain that if all this did not take place... they would come
up with another reason to contain Russia's growing capabilities," he
said. "Whenever anyone thinks Russia has become strong, they resort
to this instrument."
"We will never pursue the path of self-isolation, xenophobia,
suspicion and search for enemies. All this is a manifestation of
weakness, while we are strong and self-confident," Putin said.