Putin:

Europe Does Not Want to Host US Missiles, But Won’t Dare to Object

TEHRAN (defapress)- Russian President Vladimir Putin believes that the European countries do not wish to see the emergence of US missiles on their territory, but do not dare to argue with Washington.

News ID: 75649

Date: 16 February 2019 - 15:00

"Do you think that any of the European countries wants US medium-range missiles to be deployed in Europe? Nobody wants this, but they prefer to keep quiet," he said, adding, "Where is their sovereignty?", according to TASS.

"Apparently, they think that in the final count they are generally interested in such an organization [as NATO], to which they delegated part of their sovereignty," Putin speculated.

The European Parliament, he remarked, takes far more decisions mandatory for all EU members that the Soviet Union’s Supreme Soviet made in its day in relation to the constituent republics of the USSR.

"Totally independent countries just do not exist," Putin stressed.

As he dwelt on the situation in the Eurasian Economic Union, Putin stated that there were certain supra-national agencies to which the member-countries had delegated part of their powers, thus creating certain inter-dependence.

"We transferred part of our sovereignty and our independence there. We did their consciously, being well aware that this mode of doing business makes us more competitive," he added.

As far as the Union State of Russia and Belarus is concerned, Putin said he was certain that "we must realize in a calm, business-like and friendly way that within the framework of the Union State we will be able to move forward without causing harm to countries and peoples, and to create better conditions for the future of our countries".

Commenting on reports of possible new sanctions of the EU and the US against Moscow, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday that the anti-Russian sanctions of the European Union in light of the situation in the Kerch Strait are being taken under Washington’s powerful pressure.

"We said long ago that we do not discuss sanctions with anyone. We want to improve our economy and trade with normal Western partners so that not to depend on anybody’s whims - in this case the whims of those who did not keep their word and did not make the opposition carry out their agreements with [former Ukrainian] President [Viktor] Yanukovich," the foreign minister noted.

"We are also dealing with the people who introduced sanctions over the Crimeans’ expression of will and over the events evolving in the region in general, in particular in eastern Ukraine," he added.

"I see it as another evidence of the Europeans’ inability to make [Ukrainian President Pyotr] Poroshenko implement the Minsk accords. As far as they cannot rule their clients, something has to be done, and they resorted to another package of sanctions," Lavrov pointed out.

"We know that these sanctions are being taken under the US’ powerful pressure, which again proves the European Union’s dependence. It is sad, but we are open for dialogue. However, we will proceed from the fact that we should not depend on people who act so, including with their obligations regarding the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis in February 2014," the Russian top diplomat stressed.

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