Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Moscow is ready to normalise relations with the United States and other Western nations but without compromising its interests.
“It is possible to do everything upon wish. We have never abandoned this wish,” he said in an interview with VGTRK journalist Pavel Zarubin on Sunday.
Everything changes in international relations and only interests remain consistent, in this case, “the interests of Russia and its people,” Putin stressed.
“If we see that the situation changes in a way that there are opportunities and prospects for building relations with other countries, then we are ready for that. It is not a question of us but it’s a question of them. But this should be without detriment to the interests of the Russian Federation,” he emphasised.
He added the previous generation of Russian politicians chose the path towards the country’s destruction for the sake of joining the so-called civilised world.
“In the newest history, we have passed the period when our previous generation of politicians, in my view, set course even towards the destruction of their own country in the hope that Russia would become a part of the so-called civilised world. And this was what the civilised world wanted,” the Russian leader said.
He pointed out that as soon as Russia’s potential dwindled and it became weaker, the West began to ruin it instead of making it an equitable partner and a participant in this civilised world.
The statement comes amid ongoing tensions between Russia and Western nations over various geopolitical issues, including the conflict in Ukraine.
Notably, President Putin has shown readiness to discuss a Ukraine ceasefire deal with incoming U.S. President Donald Trump, though with significant conditions, such as Ukraine abandoning its NATO membership aspirations.
Earlier, Russian state agency TASS cited Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying that Russia was ready to consider any proposals from the United States to bring mutual relations back to normal.
