Russian President Vladimir Putin joked today that he would have a serious chat with the West about the West’s claims that he was to responsible for all of the economic disarray caused by the Ukraine conflict and the devastating sanctions.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has killed thousands and displaced 14 million people, while the West’s attempt to isolate Russia as punishment, as well as Moscow’s blockade of grain shipments from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, have skyrocketed the prices of oil, natural gas, grains, cooking oil, and fertilizers.
Putin told Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko during a televised meeting in the Black Sea resort of Sochi that Russia’s economy was doing well despite Western sanctions.
Lukashenko said that the sanctions had given both nations momentum to focus on self-development, and that Western elites were misinformed about the roots of their economic troubles.
“On the economy, we owe it to them (the West) since they have given us such a boost to our own growth,” Lukashenko told Putin, who smiled and agreed.
“What is occurring there is that they have greatly underestimated it due to their own media. They got inflation, but the fact is that ‘Putin is to blame,’ that ‘Putin is to responsible for everything.’ “Lukashenka stated.
Putin nodded and pursed his lips. “We’ll have a serious conversation with them,” Putin remarked, forcing a grin. Lukashenko chuckled and replied, “Yes.”