Moscow will not abide by the ‘so-called rules’ invented and imposed by ‘certain countries,’ Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday, as he delivered a speech at a meeting of Russia’s Council of Legislators in St. Petersburg. Russia is currently enduring ‘economic aggression’ from the collective West, Putin stated, urging legislators, as well as other branches of the country’s authority, to work proactively rather than ‘wait out’this period. The ultimate goal is creating a ‘basis for the long-term, independent, and successful development of our country,’he emphasized. The international diplomacy system has eroded greatly as of late, with ‘certain countries’ imposing their own ‘rules’instead, Putin noted. ‘Our partners, or, one might say, already former partners, in some countries are maniacally destroying the legal framework and channels of communication, trying to impose their views and so-called rules on everyone. What are the rules? … Nobody saw them,’ he stated. At the same time, Russia does not want to go into ‘self-isolation’ and remains ready to cooperate fairly with ‘friendly countries,’ Putin explained. ‘We will expand pragmatic, equal, mutually beneficial, exclusively partnership relations with friendly countries in Eurasia, Africa, and Latin America.’ He noted that Russia has ‘many like-minded people’ in the countries of the collective West, including the US. ‘Yet, the elites behave differently. But you and I know that the elites of these countries do not always pursue a policy aimed at the best interests of their own people. This will come around to haunt them,’ he warned

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon