The 20th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum is widely regarded in Russian Federation as a chance for the country to mend its ties with Western countries.
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“Why tolerate? I don’t understand”, Putin said, adding that compared with the European Union, the USA economy is not suffering from the anti-Russian sanctions. His words echoed the statement from Putin, who said that Ukraine has failed to approve legislation on a special status for the east to honor its end of the deal.
Ban’s delivered speech was watered down from an earlier prepared version that read Russian Federation “has a critical role to play … in addressing other pressing global issues, from ending the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, to safeguarding human rights and controlling the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction”. “I don’t understand how the head of the United Nations can say such things”. As for Europe, he called for improved relations with leaders there.
The president of the European Commission has defended his decision to attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in Russian Federation on Thursday.
Meanwhile, European Commission President Juncker said the implementation of the Minsk deal, signed in February 2015 to settle the Ukraine crisis, is the only way to lift the sanctions against Russian Federation, adding that dialogue should be maintained and bridges built.
Putin recalled the history of problems that existed in relations between Russian Federation and the West. Moscow retaliated by banning imports of meat, vegetable and dairy products from the EU. “We need to mend it, and I believe we can”. But he said it was an opportunity to “exchange opinions”.
Europe’s economic sanctions on Russian Federation will be lifted once the Minsk agreements are fully implemented, Juncker told Putin on Thursday (16 June), repeating the official line held by Europe and the USA over the Ukraine conflict.
On Thursday, at the summit themed “Capitalizing on the New Global Economic Reality”, guests spoke on wide-ranging issues including Western sanctions against Russian Federation.
Italy’s prime minister, Matteo Renzi, was due to attend the forum on Friday. The three-day conference in Russia’s second city is being held just weeks before European Union sanctions are due to expire.
Putin said Friday he discussed the Brexit issue with European officials who attended St. Petersburg economic forum and heard various views on the subject.
The three-day forum is being attended by over 10,000 participants, including government and business leaders.
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“The world needs such a powerful country like the United States, and so do we, but we do not need it [the US] to constantly interfere in our affairs, tell us how to live, hinder Europe in building ties with us”, Putin noted.
