Vladimir
Putin has criticized Washington’s unilateral actions on the international
arena, saying that whatever it touches seems to be turning into Libya or Iraq.
Below are the top 10 quotes from the Russian President’s speech at the Seliger
youth forum.
Unilateral
decisions made outside the United Nations are usually doomed to failure, Putin
said Friday, while speaking at the “Seliger-2014” annual youth forum.
“Do you remember the joke: ‘Whatever
Russians make, they always end up with a Kalashnikov?’ I get an impression that
whatever Americans touch they always end up with Libya or Iraq,”
Putin told the participants of the 10th forum held on Lake Seliger in Tver region,
some 370 km north of Moscow.
When decisions are made unilaterally, they always turn out to be
short lived. And the other way round: it’s difficult to reach consensus at the
UN because often opposite opinions and positions collide. But that is the only
way to achieve long-term decisions,” he said.
When a
decision is balanced and supported by key members of the international
community, Putin said, everyone starts working in order fulfill it perfectly.
'UN won’t be needed if it serves only US and its allies'
Putin
totally disagreed that the UN is inefficient. But the organization needs to be
reformed and its instruments should be used efficiently.
The
reform should become a result of a consensus reached by the overwhelming
majority of the members of the organization, he said.
It is also necessary to preserve the fundamental grounds of the
UN’s efficiency. In particular, only the Security Council should have the power
to make decision on sanctions and the use of military force, Putin said. And
these decisions must be obligatory for everyone. Such mechanisms should not be
eroded. “Otherwise the UN
will turn into the League of Nations,” the Russian President said.
The organization will lose its purpose if it is only an “instrument to serve foreign policy
interests of only one country – in this case the US and its allies,”
Putin. “Then it is not
needed.”
Putin compared the shelling of east Ukrainian towns
and cities by Kiev army to actions by the Nazi forces during the World War Two.
“Sad as it
might seem, this reminds me of the events of World War II, when the German Nazi
troops surrounded our cities, like Leningrad, and directly shelled those cities
and their residents,” Putin said.
“Why they
(Kiev) call this a military-humanitarian operation?” he said,
adding that the conflicting sides should get to a negotiating table.
Ukrainians who did not support the coup mounted by “our western partners”
with the backing of radical nationalists, are being suppressed by the military
force, Putin said speaking about the situation in the neighboring state.
“We’re no
fools. We saw symbolic cookies handed out on [by Victoria Nuland] Maidan,
information support, political support. What that means? A full involvement of
the US and European nations into the process of the power change: a violent
unconstitutional power change.”
“And the
part of the country that disagreed with that is being suppressed with the use
of jets, artillery, multiple launch systems and tanks,” Putin said.
“If these are today’s
European values – I’m gravely disappointed.”
Putin
said that Russia did not “annex” Crimea, as the peninsula’s reunion with Russia
is often described by foreign media and politicians.
“We didn’t
not annex it, we didn’t take it away. We gave people an opportunity to have
their say and make a decision, which we took with respect. We protected them, I
believe.”
“We had to
protect our compatriots, who live there (in Crimea). When we look at events in
Donbass, Lugansk, Odessa, it becomes clear to us what would have happened to
Crimea if we had not taken measures to provide free expression of will to
people.”
'Russia to beef up nuclear deterrence potential'
Russia
is going to boost its military forces and nuclear deterrence potential, Putin
told the youth forum.
“Russia is
one of the most powerful nuclear states. It’s not words, it is the reality,”
he said. “We are strengthening our nuclear deterrence forces, we are
strengthening our armed forces…We are beefing up our potential and will
continue doing so.”
This is being done “not
to threaten anyone, “but to feel secure,” he added.
'Russia is not going to get involved in large-scale
conflicts'
Russia
will not get engaged in any large conflicts, but will defend itself in case of
aggression, Putin warned.
“Russia is
far from getting involved any large-scale conflicts. We don’t want that and we
are not going to do it. And, naturally, we should always be ready to repel any
aggression against Russia,” Putin said.
Our partners – whatever condition their countries are in and
whatever foreign policy concept they adhere to – should understand that it’s
better not to mess with us,” Putin said. “Thank God, I believe it doesn’t
occur to anyone to unleash a large-scale conflict with Russia.”
'Russia will seek acceptable compromises on Arctic'
Russia
admits that other states have their interests in the Arctic – the region that
is thought to contain vast reserves of oil and gas.
Both Russia and Canada, who along with
the US, Norway and Denmark constitute the five states with Polar claims, have
made legal attempts to secure their rights to large swathes of the Arctic,
which is thought to contain 15 percent of the oil reserves and 30 percent of
all natural gas in the world.
“We will
take the interests of these states into consideration and seek acceptable
compromises,” Putin said, adding that Russia would “naturally” also
defend its own interests.
The
five Arctic states - Canada, Denmark, Norway, the Russia and the US – have for
several years now been in a bitter dispute over how to divide up this
resource-rich ‘pie’.
'Crimea recognition will be long and tedious'
It
will take a long while for Crimea to be internationally recognizes as part of
Russia, Putin believes.
He said he finds it “strange”
and referred to an example with the recognition of Kosovo independence where a
political will and desire were enough to make such a decision “easily.”
He
also recalled that in case with Kosovo, no referendum was held: the decision on
independence was made by the parliament of the Serbian breakaway republic. In
the situation with Crimea, there was both a decision by the parliament and a
referendum. In Putin’s view, the latter was a more democratic way for a
nation’s self-determination.
'Russia is not going to get involved in large-scale
conflicts'
Russia
will not get engaged in any large conflicts, but will defend itself in case of
aggression, Putin warned.
“Russia is
far from getting involved any large-scale conflicts. We don’t want that and we
are not going to do it. And, naturally, we should always be ready to repel any
aggression against Russia,” Putin said.
Our partners – whatever condition their countries are in and
whatever foreign policy concept they adhere to – should understand that it’s
better not to mess with us,” Putin said. “Thank God, I believe it doesn’t
occur to anyone to unleash a large-scale conflict with Russia.”
'Russia will seek acceptable compromises on Arctic'
Russia
admits that other states have their interests in the Arctic – the region that
is thought to contain vast reserves of oil and gas.
Both Russia and Canada, who along with
the US, Norway and Denmark constitute the five states with Polar claims, have
made legal attempts to secure their rights to large swathes of the Arctic,
which is thought to contain 15 percent of the oil reserves and 30 percent of
all natural gas in the world.
“We will
take the interests of these states into consideration and seek acceptable
compromises,” Putin said, adding that Russia would “naturally” also
defend its own interests.
The
five Arctic states - Canada, Denmark, Norway, the Russia and the US – have for
several years now been in a bitter dispute over how to divide up this
resource-rich ‘pie’.
'Crimea recognition will be long and tedious'
It
will take a long while for Crimea to be internationally recognizes as part of
Russia, Putin believes.
He said he finds it “strange”
and referred to an example with the recognition of Kosovo independence where a
political will and desire were enough to make such a decision “easily.”
He
also recalled that in case with Kosovo, no referendum was held: the decision on
independence was made by the parliament of the Serbian breakaway republic. In
the situation with Crimea, there was both a decision by the parliament and a
referendum. In Putin’s view, the latter was a more democratic way for a
nation’s self-determination.
