Putin: Moscow is against Western Attempts to Enforce Values on Others

MOSCOW  – Certain Western countries voice claims for exclusive global leadership, resorting to blackmail and sanctions to try to impose their values on other states, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, adding that Moscow was against such policies.

“Unfortunately, some Western countries voice claims for the exclusive global leadership. They boldly violate the norms and principles of international law and resort to blackmailing, imposing sanctions and pressure and try to impose their values and vague ideals on whole countries and peoples … We absolutely do not agree with such approaches”, Putin said in an interview with the Chinese Renmin Ribao (People’s Daily) newspaper, published ahead of his visit to Beijing later this week, according to Sputnik.   

In the interview to the People’s Daily, Putin argued that bilateral Russia-China relations were a “stabilizing factor in global affairs”, adding that the two countries share views on key contemporary issues.

Putin noted that Russia and China would continue closely coordinating their policies for improving the international situation and forming a more fair and democratic world.

 “For improving the international situation and forming a more fair and democratic world order, we will continue coordinating the moves of Russia and China on pressing global and regional issues and maintaining close cooperation at such leading international platforms as the United Nations, the Group of Twenty, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, BRICS and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation”, Putin said.

“We are always open for cooperation and joint work with like-minded [players] — with anyone who is interested in developing international communication on the unshakable basis of the UN Charter and international law”, Putin pointed out.   

In February, during his annual Address to the Federal Assembly, Putin emphasized that “Russia’s equal and mutually beneficial relations with China currently serve as an important factor of stability in international affairs and in terms of Eurasian security, offering a model of productive economic cooperation.”      

At the time, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying, while reacting to Putin’s speech, noted that China agreed with the Russian president’s remarks on Beijing-Moscow relations.

“I would also like to note that President Putin in his address stated that Russia had developed solid, friendly and equitable relations with the majority of countries in the world, with Russian-Chinese comprehensive strategic relations an example of such partnership. We agree with the high praise President Putin gave to Russian-Chinese relations,” the spokeswoman stressed.   

Putin is to hold talks with his Chinese counterpart President Xi Jinping on 26 April during his visit to Beijing. Earlier, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said that the talks would focus on the correlation between the Eurasian Economic Union and China’s Silk Road, as well as the practical ideas for the Eurasian partnership, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the Eurasian Economic Community.

Xi is expected to pay a visit to Russia later in June, as he will take part in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. 

H.M