SOCHI, Oct. 5 Russian President Vladimir Putin in response to the question whether he felt deprived because he did not travel around the world, he said that “we are defending our rights,” but there is no need to expose friends — political shows will begin during events because of his presence.
“And we are defending our rights and, I’m sure, we will ensure them. This is the first thing. Secondly, why should I create any problems for our friends during these events? I, and you and I, are adults and understand. I came — political attacks will begin there, which means the show is political. Everything will be aimed at disrupting the event. Why? We, firstly, are interested in BRICS being held normally, coherently and with results; the G20 was held at the required level. All this happened, and we are quite happy with it. Well, and finally, thirdly, there is still enough work to do at home,» Putin said during a plenary session of the Valdai international discussion club in response to a question about whether does Putin feel “disenfranchised” for not going to the BRICS and G20 summits?
This year the Valdai Club meeting is taking place in Sochi from October 2 to 5. Putin has traditionally met with members of the club since its founding, usually the head of state gives an extensive speech and then answers questions from experts.
Valdai International Discussion Club is an association of leading foreign and Russian experts in the field political science, economics, history and international relations. The club was created in September 2004 on the initiative of the agency, the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, the Moscow Times newspaper, the magazines «Russia in Global Affairs» and Russia Profile.
Since 2014, the club has moved from the format of «telling the world about Russia» to practically oriented work on shaping the global agenda, towards a qualified and objective assessment of world political and economic problems. The club sees one of its main goals as consolidating the world's intellectual elite to develop solutions to overcome the crises of the world system.
Putin's speech at the plenary meeting of the Valdai Club. Online report >>