Vladimir Putin has concluded his lengthy interview having covered everything from “the end of the unipolar model of the world” – i.e. de-dollarization – to US and Europe's responsibility for Ukraine's “full-scale civil war.” The Russian leader noted that he's “trying to help Ukraine” but following the loans from the IMF asks “where's our money?” and warned that US sanctions have had little effect on the Russian economy but will have a boomerang effect. The following distills his 120 minute discussion… Putin “expects common sense to prevail.”
RUSSIAN PRESIDENT PUTIN SPEAKING IN ST. PETERSBURG
*PUTIN SAYS HE EXPECTS COMMON SENSE TO PREVAIL
De-Dollarization
*PUTIN SAYS UNIPOLAR MODEL OF WORLD HAS RUN ITS COURSE
*PUTIN SAYS IMF REFORM HAS HALTED
*PUTIN: NEW LEADERS DON'T WANT TO HEAR ALTERNATIVE VIEWS
*PUTIN SAYS ALTERNATIVE CENTERS OF ECONOMIC GROWTH FORMING
*PUTIN SAYS DOHA ROUND OF WTO ISN'T MOVING FORWARD
*PUTIN SAYS RUSSIA-CHINA COOPERATION TO HELP BOOST GLOBAL GROWTH
*PUTIN SAYS RUSSIA TO BOOST RUBLE, YUAN IN TRADE W/ CHINA
Sanctions
*PUTIN SAYS CLEAR THAT ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ARE POLITICAL PRESSURE
*PUTIN SAYS ECONOMIC SANCTIONS HAVE BOOMERANG EFFECT
*PUTIN SAYS SANCTIONS TARGETING PEOPLE CLOSE TO HIM
*PUTIN SAYS HE'S PROUD TO HAVE SUCH PATRIOTIC FRIENDS
*PUTIN SAYS SANCTIONS HURT FRIENDS' BUSINESSES
*PUTIN SAYS SANCTIONS AREN'T FAIR, AREN'T LEGAL
*PUTIN SAYS FRIENDS BROUGHT MONEY TO RUSSIA BEFORE SANCTIONS
*PUTIN SAYS DOESN'T UNDERSTAND TALK ON 3RD ROUND OF SANCTIONS
*PUTIN SAYS SANCTIONS NOT HAVING WIDESPREAD EFFECT ON ECONOMY
*PUTIN TELLS BUSINESS NOT TO GIVE IN TO BLACKMAIL, WE'LL HELP
Russian Economy
PUTIN COMMENTS ON ACCESS TO RUSSIA'S ENERGY DEPOSITS
PUTIN: RUSSIA'S MOST PROMISING INVESTMENTS ARE ON SHELF
*PUTIN SAYS KOVYKTA, CHAYANDA HAVE GAS RESERVES FOR 50 YRS
*PUTIN SAYS CENTRAL BANK'S WORK TO CLEAN UP BANK SYSTEM NOT EASY
*PUTIN SAYS RUSSIAN BANK CLEANUP HAS COSTS FOR BUDGET
*PUTIN SAYS RUSSIA WILL CONTINUE CLEANING UP BANKING SYSTEM
*PUTIN SAYS NEED TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO CHEAP LOANS FOR SME
*PUTIN SAYS RUSSIA IS CHANGING, QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVING
*PUTIN SAYS RUSSIAN FDI LAST YR ALMOST $80B INCLUDING ROSNEFT
*PUTIN SAYS RUSSIAN GROWTH SLOWDOWN HAS FOREIGN, DOMESTIC CAUSES
*PUTIN SAYS RUSSIA ALREADY RESPONDING TO SLOWER GDP GROWTH