Putin Meets with Media Ahead of Russian Press Day
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)
On Thursday, he met with Russian media in the editorial office of the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper. Discussion focused on domestic and geopolitical issues.
He candidly explained Russia didn’t interfere in America’s political process. No evidence proves him wrong. Indeed he’s right. I’ve stressed it numerous times.
Unlike Washington, he has no intention of meddling in the affairs of other nations - seeking cooperative relations, not adversarial ones.
America “interferes everywhere,” he stressed. It should expect reciprocal action when meddling irresponsibly in Russia’s affairs.
Believing it has a divine right to do it is how all rogue states operate - nothing “normal,” proper or legal about it.
Moscow sought rapprochement with Washington long ago. It continues extending an olive branch in good faith.
Failure to improve relations lies entirely with US governance, under Republicans or undemocratic Dems - two sides of the same coin, not a dime’s worth of difference between them on vital issues.
If America maintains its hostile attitude, things will “deteriorate further,” Putin warned, adding:
Foreign security agencies are “doing all they can to ramp up their level of activity in Russia,” targeting its social and political life.
“(I)n response to our alleged interference in their election, (Washington) want(s) to create problems with the presidential vote in Russia,” Putin explained.
Last month, he said harsh US legislation forcing Russian media to register as foreign agents is much stricter than the tit-for-tat Russian measure - in no way infringing on speech and press freedoms, unlike how Washington operates.
Russia’s law aims to prevent foreign interference in its internal affairs.
“We do not limit the freedoms of our citizens and it has never been our goal,” Putin said, adding legislation needs “improvements to ensure” its purposes are properly served - “to eliminate any interference into our internal political life either directly from abroad or through some figureheads.”
In November, Russian lawmakers passed legislation, requiring designated foreign media to register as foreign agents - in response to Washington targeting Russian media this way.
Putin and Sergey Lavrov promised tit-for-tat Russian responses to hostile US actions.
Instead of seeking improved bilateral relations, Washington continues political, economic and propaganda war on Russia - a hostile imperial agenda risking eventual direct confrontation.
Separately, Putin addressed multiple drones targeting its military bases in Syria, saying forces behind them were “provocateurs,”
They weren’t Turks. “We know who they are, who paid who for this provocation and what the actual sum was” - pointing fingers at Washington without naming names, adding:
“As for this kind of incidents, there is nothing good about them. These are provocations aimed at destroying previous agreements.”
“We understand it perfectly well” and will act accordingly…We know when and where these unmanned vehicles were handed over (to well-trained terrorists), and how many of them there were.”
“These aerial vehicles were disguised. (I)t is obvious (foreign-supplied) high-tech equipment was used.”
Satellite data pinpointed targets, supplied to terrorists by Washington - wanting endless war and regime change in Syria, not conflict resolution and peace.
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