Putin: Europe Paying the Price for Own Political and Economic Mistakes
/ Go to the mediabankRussian President Vladimir Putin
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European leaders have only themselves to blame for growing unrest and economic problems across the continent, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.»This is bad for them, and why? Because they won’t address the root cause … And what is that cause? It lies in their own mistakes, mistakes made across various areas, including the economy and finance,» Putin said.He pointed to mounting public debt, large budget deficits, and declining industrial production, calling the situation dramatic for many European economies. By comparison, he said, Russia’s external debt stands at just 2.6% of GDP, with total government debt at 17.5%, while Russian industrial output has grown since 2021.He also criticized Europe’s green energy policies and described its decision to ban everything Russian as «stupidity.» Putin noted that Europe cut itself off from Russian markets and energy supplies, although it continues to import substantial amounts of Russian energy.»They have cut themselves off from our energy resources and our market. You have to understand, we weren’t just supplying relatively cheap primary energy resources, we were also providing access to our market! A market that is, in fact, quite large for European countries,» Putin said.Putin added that some Western companies «almost cried» when they were forced to abandon the Russian market under pressure from their own governments.Turning to migration, Putin argued that European countries lack the financial resources to integrate and assimilate migrants, contributing to growing social tensions.He also accused Europeans of dismantling their own traditional and historical values, arguing that societies abandoning their own traditions have little left to pass on to newcomers.
WorldPutin Calls Attempts to Accuse Russia of Inciting Unrest in Europe Clear Exaggeration09:19 GMT
