Steph Deschamps / May 5, 2021
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday he wants to find a way to improve Moscow's relations with the United States at a June 16 summit in Geneva with his counterpart Joe Biden.
He believed that the main reason for tensions with the United States was not political differences but the American desire to contain Russia.
We have no disagreement with the United States, they have only one disagreement: they want to contain our development, they say so publicly, and all the rest (of the tensions) stem from this position he added.
He also felt that Russian-American relations had become hostage to political considerations in the United States.
He also brushed off Western criticism of Russia's lack of democracy, referring to the way protests are suppressed in the United States, such as on Jan. 6 when pro-Donald Trump demonstrators invaded Congress, or in Europe where rubber bullets poke out the eyes of protesters.
Earlier, Vladimir Putin had given a new blow to the greenback, saying he was in favor of European countries paying for Russian gas in euros rather than dollars, as Russia strives to de-dollarize its economy.
We are ready to consider the possibility of settlements in national currencies.The euro is quite acceptable to us for gas payments. It could be done and probably should be done, he said.