Putin defends delivery of missile system
During annual TV call-in show, president warns the West to respect Russia
MOSCOW— President Vladimir Putin, in a marathon TV call-in show Thursday, sternly urged the West to respect Russia’s interests in global affairs and defended his move to sanction the delivery of a long-range air defence missile system to Iran.
Putin criticized Washington for refusing to see Moscow as an equal partner and warned that RussiaWest ties, in shambles over the Ukrainian crisis, could only be normalized when the U.S. and its allies show readiness for compromise.
He also described the killing of top Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov as “tragic and shameful” and commended police for quickly tracking down the perpetrators, but said he wasn’t certain if Russian law enforcement agencies would be able to track down those who organized it.
Putin focused heavily on economic issues during the four-hour show, a slickly produced annual affair intended to burnish his image.
He received more than three million questions before and during the carefully orchestrated show, which involved live feeds from Russia’s regions as well as a studio audience.
People asking about global crises alternated with callers seeking support for industries and agriculture, subsidies for expensive medical treatment, and even advice on personal issues. One group of women asked how to present a dog to a friend with a reluctant husband, and Putin suggested the friend pretend to drop the request to soften his heart.
On more weighty matters, the president pointed at the ruble’s recent recovery as a sign that Russia had weathered the worst of economic upheavals caused by a sharp plunge in global oil prices and Western sanctions against Russia over the Ukrainian crisis.
Putin, whose approval ratings top 80 per cent despite the recession, said the country can overcome any challenges if it remains united.
“If we preserve a stable situation in domestic politics, preserve the current consolidation of society, we shouldn’t fear any threats,” he said.
Turning to foreign policy issues, Putin said his decision to lift a 2010 Russian ban on the delivery of the powerful S-300 air defence missile system to Iran followed a tentative deal on ending the Iranian nuclear standoff reached by Tehran and six world powers earlier this month.
The president said Iran should be rewarded for showing “a great degree of flexibility and a desire to reach compromise” in the talks. He added the S-300 is a defensive weapon that shouldn’t pose any threat to Israel.
Putin said that Russia would continue to co-operate with its international partners on negotiating a definitive nuclear deal with Iran. He argued that the international sanctions still in place don’t ban the delivery of the S-300, which Russia had halted voluntarily.
He argued that Russia remains open for overcoming the current tensions with the West, but warned Washington that it should stop treating Moscow as an inferior partner if it wants to normalize ties.
“The main condition is to have respect for Russia and its interests,” he said.
Putin added that the United States “doesn’t need allies, they need vassals.”
Asked to comment about western leaders’ refusal to visit Moscow to attend a May 9 Victory Day parade marking the 70th anniversary of victory over the Nazis, Putin said many yielded to Washington’s pressure.
Putin said that despite the frictions with the West, “we don’t see anyone as enemy,” adding that “we don’t recommend anyone to see us as enemy.”