Moscow: A couple of weeks before Donald Trump becomes the US President, Vladimir Putin said that Russia wants to improve its relations with the United States and other Western countries. However, he made it clear that this should not hurt Russian interests. In an interview with a Russian TV and radio station, Putin expressed that if both sides want it, they can make it happen.
He explained that international relations are always changing, but Russia’s interests remain the same. Putin mentioned, “We are ready to build relations if we find opportunities, but it must be good for Russia.” He compared Russia’s history to past events, saying that after a difficult time, Russia worked hard and regained its strength.
He pointed out that some historians call the Crimean War of the 1800s ‘World War Zero’ because many European countries fought against Russia. But later, those countries became allies during World War I.
Putin warned that previous leaders tried too hard to be part of the ‘civilized world’ and ended up harming Russia. He said that when Russia was weak, the West took advantage instead of treating it as a partner. He emphasized that any future relations with Western countries will be based on what is best for Russia.
Just last week, Russia issued a warning for its citizens, advising them not to travel to the US and other Western nations, claiming they might be hunted by the authorities there. Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for Russia’s Foreign Affairs, mentioned that US-Russia relations are very tense, even worse than during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, mainly due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Trump, who won the 2024 presidential election, is set to take office as the 47th US president on January 20, 2025.
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