Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

"We Have No Disagreements With Them, They Have": Putin On US-Russia Ties

"We Have No Disagreements With Them, They Have": Putin On US-Russia Ties

"We need to find ways to regularise these relations," Putin told the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum, adding that bilateral ties are currently at a "low level".

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday he is hoping to improve deeply damaged relations with the United States when he holds his first summit with US counterpart Joe Biden later this month.

The face-to-face meeting in Geneva on June 16 comes amid the biggest crisis in ties between the two countries in years, with tensions high over a litany of issues including hacking allegations, human rights and claims of election meddling.

"We need to find ways to regularise these relations," Putin told the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum, adding that bilateral ties are currently at a "low level".

Usually joined at the forum's main session by other world leaders, the Russian president was alone on the stage on Friday with a moderator and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, the emir of Qatar, participating via videolink.

"We have no disagreements with the United States," Putin said. "They only have one disagreement: they want to hold back our development, they talk about it publicly."

Putin said Washington's motives were a "mystery" but that policies towards Russia were being shaped "under the influence of internal political processes" in the United States.

Since taking office in January, Biden has ramped up pressure on the Kremlin, and his comments likening Putin to a "killer" were met with fierce criticsm in Moscow.

Pipeline politics


The Biden administration imposed new sanctions over what US authorities say was Russia's role in the massive SolarWinds cyber attack and alleged meddling in the 2020 presidential election.

Washington has also harshly criticised Moscow for the near-death poisoning and subsequent imprisonment of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

Putin on Friday signed a law barring "extremist" groups from participating in parliamentary elections, with a court in Moscow holding a hearing next week as it considers whether to assign the label to Navalny's organisations.

Critics have denounced the law as the latest move to crack down on Russia's opposition ahead of elections in September for Russia's lower house State Duma.

The diplomatic crisis with the United States has resulted in a mutual expulsion of diplomats with Moscow prohibiting the US embassy from employing foreign nationals, practically halting its consular services.

Putin vaunted at the forum that the first line of the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Germany has been completed, despite strong US opposition.

The United States and several European countries have deeply opposed the construction of the pipeline, arguing that it will increase European dependence on Russia for critical gas supplies and increase Moscow's geopolitical clout.

- Russia-US ties 'in crisis' -


He also suggested that European nations should pay for Russian gas in euros, rather than dollars, part of a wider effort by Russia to reduce its reliance on the dollar.

Both Russia and the United States have downplayed expectations of any major breakthroughs at the Geneva summit.

"We do not expect any breakthroughs, we do not expect any significant progress," Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agencies at the forum Friday.

He added, however, that the "very fact of the first contact is important" given that Russia-US relations are "in crisis".

Markus Ederer, the EU ambassador to Russia, said at the forum on Thursday that Moscow's relations with the European Union are also at "the most difficult point" since the Cold War.

"If you listen to what Sergei Lavrov says, you can come to the conclusion that Russia doesn't value relations with the EU," the German diplomat added, referring to Russia's foreign minister.

The Saint Petersburg International Forum, often referred to as Russian Davos, is the country's main showcase for investors and brings together business and political leaders.

It is one of the largest offline events held in Russia and the world since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, although the number of participants was restricted to 5,000, nearly four times less than when it was last held in 2019.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Hungary Ranked Among the World’s Safest Travel Destinations for 2025
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Man Convicted of Fraud After Booking Over 120 Free Flights Posing as Flight Attendant
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Beata Thunberg Rebrands as Beata Ernman Amidst Sister's Activism Controversy
Hungarian Parliament Approves Citizenship Suspension Law
Prime Minister Orbán Criticizes EU's Ukraine Accession Plans
Hungarian Delicacies Introduced to Japanese Market
Hungary's Industrial Output Rises Amid Battery Sector Slump
President Sulyok Celebrates 15 Years of Hungarian Unity Efforts
Hungary's Szeleczki Shines at World Judo Championships
Visegrád Construction Trends Diverge as Hungary Lags
Hungary Hosts National Quantum Technology Workshop
Hungarian Animation Featured at Annecy Festival
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
UK and EU Reach New Economic Agreement
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
UK and EU Reach Agreement on Gibraltar's Schengen Integration
Israeli Finance Minister Imposes Banking Penalties on Palestinians
U.S. Inflation Rises to 2.4% in May Amid Trade Tensions
Trump's Policies Prompt Decline in Chinese Student Enrollment in U.S.
Global Oceans Near Record Temperatures as CO₂ Levels Climb
Trump Announces U.S.-China Trade Deal Covering Rare Earths
Smuggled U.S. Fuel Funds Mexican Cartels Amid Crackdown
Austrian School Shooting Leaves Nine Dead in Graz
Bezos's Lavish Venice Wedding Sparks Local Protests
Europe Prepares for Historic Lunar Rover Landing
Italian Parents Seek Therapy Amid Lengthy School Holidays
British Fishing Vessel Seized by France Fined €30,000
Dutch Government Collapses Amid Migration Policy Dispute
UK Commits to 3.5% GDP Defence Spending Under NATO Pressure
Germany Moves to Expedite Migrant Deportations
US Urges UK to Raise Defence Spending to 5% of GDP
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Low Turnout Jeopardizes Italy's Citizenship Reform Referendum
Transatlantic Interest Rate Divergence Widens as Trump Pressures Powell
EU Lawmaker Calls for Broader Exemptions in Supply Chain Legislation
France's Defense Spending Plans Threatened by High National Debt
European Small-Cap Stocks Outperform U.S. Rivals Amid Growth Revival
Switzerland Proposes $26 Billion Capital Increase for UBS
×