Putin said Russia “regrets” the sharp deterioration in relations with key European members of NATO and “hopes” they will be normalized for mutual “benefit.”
According to him, the “state of freezing” relations with Germany, which was once Gazprom’s largest customer and Russia’s main trading partner in the European Union, and whose sales have more than tripled since the beginning of the war and the imposition of sanctions, is “unprofitable.” “
In addition to political and economic relations, relations that were previously successful in developing contacts in the scientific, educational, cultural and humanitarian fields, as well as relations between civil societies, have been suspended, Putin said.
In his opinion, Russian-German relations are “important not only for both countries, but for the whole of Europe.”
Not only Germany. Putin wants to improve relations with Britain and Sweden
“Until recently, cooperation was possible with Great Britain, which has become the main European defender of sanctions against Russia and military aid to Ukraine,” he added. According to the Russian president, this was still the case in Soviet times, when there was an understanding about “the special responsibility to maintain peace, stability and security in the world.”
-But the current status of the dialogue with London is well known. “Let us hope that the situation will continue to change for the better, for the benefit of our countries and our people,” Putin said.
According to him, the collapse of relations between Russia and Sweden is also “regrettable.” – There is a complete absence of political contacts, mutual trade and economic influence, and limited cultural and humanitarian relations.
He added that Sweden’s policy of not participating in military alliances for more than 200 years “has brought undeniable benefits to the Swedish side,” while the current situation in bilateral relations “does not correspond to the real interests of neither our countries nor Russia.” The region or Europe as a whole.
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