Putin: “We are not Obliged to Subsidise Economies of Other Countries” :: Charter'97 :: News

Russian President Vladimir Putin has refuted a statement that Russia uses economic levers for achieving its foreign policy ends. “We are always told that Russia is using its uses existing and new economic resources to achieve foreign policy aims. That is not the case,” V. Putin said at a press-conference in the Kremlin. “The Russian Federation has been meeting its obligations in full force and effect and is set to meet all its obligations in the future, but we are not obliged to subsidise the economies of other countries by vast sums comparable to their budgets,” Russian president underlined, obviously hinting at Belarus.

“Nobody does that, so why are they demanding it of us?" Putin said as reported by Interfax.

“The things we do and agreements we make are primarily aimed to benefit the main consumers,” V. Putin underlined.

He assured that “experts understand this”. “Imagine that with Ukraine we were annually signing both an agreement for [energy] supplies to Ukraine and for transit to Western Europe, and consumers in Western Europe were always depended on whether we would find agreement with our Ukrainian partners or not,” the president said.

As said by him, as the moment Russia has created market conditions for energy resources transit.

“We should be thanked for that, but instead of that we see the events are being treated unconscientiously. And it is certainly done by ill-wishers of the Russian Federation. I am not saying that it is done at the state level, but such forces exist,” V. Putinunderlined.

He called “ill-wishers” those who write about the situation in this sphere incorrectly and not objectively.