WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that there is no need for the West to fear his country as Moscow and Washington are allies in dealing with global issues.
'There is no need to fear Russia. The world has changed so drastically that people with some common sense cannot even imagine such a large-scale military conflict today. We have other things to think about, I assure you,' Putin said in an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera Ahead of his visit to Italy next week.
Putin noted that Russia and the United States are 'not just partners', but are 'allies' in addressing the issues related to non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. They are undoubtedly allies in the fight against terrorism. There are some other areas of collaboration as well.
Putin denied that Russia has been speaking with anyone in a contentious tone, saying everything it does is just a response to threats.
Putin noted that US military spending is higher than that of all countries in the world taken together. The aggregate military spending of NATO countries is 10 times higher than that of the Russian Federation.
'What we do is limited in scope and scale, which is, however, sufficient to ensure our security,' he added.
Commenting on the situation in Ukraine where breach of cease-fire deals has been on the rise recently, Putin called for the full and unconditional implementation of the new Minsk agreement, because 'there is no other way to settle the conflict today.'
Putin criticized Kiev for its reluctance to talk with the insurgents in eastern Ukraine, and urged the U.S. and Europe to exercise their influence over the Ukrainian authorities.
'The problem is that the current Kiev authorities don't even want to sit down to talks with them. And there is nothing we can do about it. Only our European and American partners can influence this situation. There is no need to threaten us with sanctions. We have nothing to do with this, this is not our position. We seek to ensure the implementation of the Minsk Agreements,' Putin said.
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