Russia is not aggressive but defending its interests - Putin

Source : http://m.rbth.co.uk

Russia is not behaving aggressively on the international arena and does not claim superpower status, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on June 19, Putin said he didn't like former French Prime Minister Francois Fillon's remark that Russia is behaving increasingly more aggressively.

"I didn't like what you are saying about an aggressive nature of our behavior. We are not behaving aggressively. We've started defending our interests more and more resolutely and consistently. We calmly kept silent for a long time, I'd say for a decade, and proposed various elements of cooperation. But we were gradually pressed and pressed on and were ultimately pressed against a line we could not cross," Putin said.

"Russia doesn't claim any hegemony or any ephemeral superpower status," Putin said. "We are not imposing our standards and our behavior and development models on anyone. We want equitable relations with all members of the international community, including the U.S., the European Partners, and those in Asia," he said.

"Don't seek to reshape the world but proceed from something that already exists, treat each other with respect and look for common solutions to common problems," he said.