06:13The situation in Ukraine allows Western countries to hide their economic miscalculations, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated while speaking at the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on Friday.
"The current state of Ukraine and the crisis in the country is beneficial for them [Western countries]. This is an excuse to cover up the economic mistakes, both in energy and in finances. They also brought the situation to a sharp rise in inflation. Why? Because they mindlessly poured trillions of money into their economy," Putin said.
The Russian leader also commented on the weapons supplied to Ukraine by Western countries claiming that the Leopard tanks are already 'on fire', so the same fate, in his opinion, awaits the F-16 fighters.
On June 6, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a press conference that Western countries would hand over F-16 fighter jets to Kiev.
"I had a closed meeting with several [leaders of] countries who confirmed for sure that they would give us F-16s. <...> I have got an understanding from some of our Western partners on the quantity [of F-16s]. It is powerful," Zelensky said.
In May, US President Joe Biden, commenting on Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksander Grushko's statement about ‘colossal risks’ for the West in case of F-16 deliveries to Ukraine, directed the warning back at Russia, saying at the G7 summit that this would create risks 'for them'.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. President Volodymyr Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
The 26th SPIEF takes place on June 14-17. According to the organisers Roscongress, more than 17,000 people from 130 countries and territories will participate.
The Forum has taken place since 1997. Since 2005, SPIEF is held under the patronage and with the participation of the president of the Russian Federation.
Russia: West uses Ukraine crisis as 'excuse to cover up its economic mistakes' - Putin
The situation in Ukraine allows Western countries to hide their economic miscalculations, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated while speaking at the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on Friday.
"The current state of Ukraine and the crisis in the country is beneficial for them [Western countries]. This is an excuse to cover up the economic mistakes, both in energy and in finances. They also brought the situation to a sharp rise in inflation. Why? Because they mindlessly poured trillions of money into their economy," Putin said.
The Russian leader also commented on the weapons supplied to Ukraine by Western countries claiming that the Leopard tanks are already 'on fire', so the same fate, in his opinion, awaits the F-16 fighters.
On June 6, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a press conference that Western countries would hand over F-16 fighter jets to Kiev.
"I had a closed meeting with several [leaders of] countries who confirmed for sure that they would give us F-16s. <...> I have got an understanding from some of our Western partners on the quantity [of F-16s]. It is powerful," Zelensky said.
In May, US President Joe Biden, commenting on Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksander Grushko's statement about ‘colossal risks’ for the West in case of F-16 deliveries to Ukraine, directed the warning back at Russia, saying at the G7 summit that this would create risks 'for them'.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. President Volodymyr Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
The 26th SPIEF takes place on June 14-17. According to the organisers Roscongress, more than 17,000 people from 130 countries and territories will participate.
The Forum has taken place since 1997. Since 2005, SPIEF is held under the patronage and with the participation of the president of the Russian Federation.
The situation in Ukraine allows Western countries to hide their economic miscalculations, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated while speaking at the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on Friday.
"The current state of Ukraine and the crisis in the country is beneficial for them [Western countries]. This is an excuse to cover up the economic mistakes, both in energy and in finances. They also brought the situation to a sharp rise in inflation. Why? Because they mindlessly poured trillions of money into their economy," Putin said.
The Russian leader also commented on the weapons supplied to Ukraine by Western countries claiming that the Leopard tanks are already 'on fire', so the same fate, in his opinion, awaits the F-16 fighters.
On June 6, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a press conference that Western countries would hand over F-16 fighter jets to Kiev.
"I had a closed meeting with several [leaders of] countries who confirmed for sure that they would give us F-16s. <...> I have got an understanding from some of our Western partners on the quantity [of F-16s]. It is powerful," Zelensky said.
In May, US President Joe Biden, commenting on Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksander Grushko's statement about ‘colossal risks’ for the West in case of F-16 deliveries to Ukraine, directed the warning back at Russia, saying at the G7 summit that this would create risks 'for them'.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. President Volodymyr Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
The 26th SPIEF takes place on June 14-17. According to the organisers Roscongress, more than 17,000 people from 130 countries and territories will participate.
The Forum has taken place since 1997. Since 2005, SPIEF is held under the patronage and with the participation of the president of the Russian Federation.