Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Thursday that Western sanctions against Moscow for its military invasion of Ukraine are to blame for disruptions in global food, energy, and supply chains while "the Russian economy as a whole has adapted to the new conditions".
Putin’s annual encounter with hundreds of reporters at the Valdai Discussion Club lasted a record three hours and 40 minutes. Most of the questioning was on Russia's invasion of Ukraine (Russia refers to it as "special military operation"), foreign policy, economy, familiar grievances and criticisms of the hegemonic “West” but the Russian leader made the auditorium laugh on multiple occasions as he cracked jokes.
In response to Russian military action in Ukraine, Western allies and other partners across the globe have imposed an unprecedented packages of coordinated sanctions and export/import controls against Russia.
"They want to introduce a cap on Russian oil and gas prices. Well, at every step they make a mistake that leads to dire consequences for themselves. This is just one of the examples. And then they look for someone to blame. They do everything themselves, and then they look for the guilty".
He went on to downplay the effectiveness of the sanctions levied against Russia, claiming Russian economy is doing just fine but the Western economies are not.
"In this regard, a joke that I recently told my colleagues crossed my mind. A German friend had told me this.
A son asks his dad: Dad, why is our home so cold? Dad replies: Because Russia attacked Ukraine. Son: What do we have to do with it? Dad: Because we imposed sanctions against the Russians. Son: Why? Dad: To make them suffer. Son: And we are what, Russians?
The full text of Putin’s speech and answers to reporters' questions is available here: The transcript of Putin’s keynote address and answers at the Valdai Discussion Club
