The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, regretted this Monday the deterioration of diplomatic relations between Moscow and the West after the invasion of Ukraine, during the reception of several new European ambassadors in the Kremlin.
During the credentialing ceremony of the new foreign ambassadors, Putin welcomed, among others, the new representatives of Germany, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Greece and Slovenia.
Addressing the Swedish representative, Vladimir Putin regretted the “complete absence of political contacts” and the restriction of “economic cooperation” and “cultural and humanitarian ties” between Russia and Sweden.
The Russian leader also expressed concern about Stockholm’s abandonment of its “policy of non-participation in military blocs followed for 200 years,” at a time when Sweden is in the process of joining NATO.
In statements to the German ambassador, Putin welcomed the relationship of “pragmatic cooperation” developed with Berlin, regretting that the explosion of the NordStream gas pipeline in 2022 has harmed Russian gas supplies to Germany.
“For decades, our country has supplied Germany with environmentally clean gas, oil and other energy products, stably and smoothly, at affordable prices. And this cooperation was literally undermined, including by an act of sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines “, said. commented the Russian president.
Addressing the new British ambassador, Putin simply said that the state of the dialogue between Russia and the United Kingdom was “known to everyone.”
“We hope that the situation, in the interest of our two countries and our people, will evolve for the better,” commented the Russian leader.
Addressing the new Slovenian ambassador, Putin regretted that the bilateral dialogue between Moscow and Ljubljana is stalled, assuring that Russia is willing to relaunch it if the Slovenian side so wishes.
Putin told the new Greek ambassador that it was necessary to pay attention to the state of bilateral relations, adding that he hoped that the “traditional ties” between Athens and Moscow would help rehabilitate the partnership between the two countries.
Source: TSF
