Russia Interested In Cooperation With EU, U.S. – Putin

Russia is interested in cooperation with the EU and the U.S. in spite of differences in the positions, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday.

“We are interested in normal constructive interaction with the United States and the European Union and are expecting that the common sense will prevail and our partners will choose fair and equal cooperation.

“Even if our positions on some issues are different, we are still partners, since we have to respond to difficult challenges together, ensure common security, build a future world, which is becoming more interconnected and where integration process are gaining momentum,” Putin said in his address to the Russian Federal Assembly.

Putin noted that Russia and the U. S. have to solve the existing problems and build a future together.

“Our policy will never be based on the aspirations for exceptionalism, we are defending our interests and respect the interests of other countries.

“With respect to the international law, we believe that the role of the United Nations is immutable.

“Those principles indeed let us build firm, kind, equal relations with almost majority of the countries,” Putin stressed.

He said anti-Russian sanctions failed to restrain the development of Russia and deter its military capabilities.

“I would tell those, who are trying to develop their weapons within the last 15 years and seeking to gain unilateral benefits from Russia, imposing illegal and difficult from the prospect of international law limitations and sanctions aimed at constraining the development of our country, also in the military area: ‘Everything you tried to hinder with such a policy has already happened.

“You failed to deter Russia.

“NATO’s approach toward our borders is becoming ineffective from a military point of view,” the president added.