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Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a virtual interview with news agency Press Trust of India (PTI) on Saturday, 5 June, addressed a number of pressing issues, including Sino-India relations, and participation in the Quad. Here are some key highlights.
Putin said that Modi and Xi Jinping are both “responsible” leaders capable of solving the problems between them. No “extra-regional power” should interfere in these issues.
Putin also discussed the cooperation between India and Russia and the deep, profound relationship between the two countries. He said that this relationship was based on “trust”. He also mentioned that India and Russia are working together on manufacturing “advanced weapon systems and technologies”, but that is not where the cooperation between the countries ends. It is “multifaceted”.
On being asked about Quad and the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov’s criticism of it, Putin asserted that Russia is not participating in the Quad, and it was not his place to assess how any other country takes part in an initiative because “every sovereign nation has the right to decide with whom and to what extent they are building their relations. I only believe that any partnership between countries should not be aimed at making friends against anyone”.
The Russian President did not have expectations of a breakthrough at the summit. Speaking of the steps that deteriorated the relationship between the USA and Russia, he said,
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