MOSCOW (Dispatches) – President Vladimir Putin says Russia needs to act quickly to counter the West’s “economic aggression”, adding Moscow would expand ties with countries in Eurasia, Africa and Latin America.
“Today, in the face of the West’s economic aggression, the parliament, the government, all regional and local authorities need to act clearly and quickly work as one cohesive team,” Putin told a meeting of Russian lawmakers.
“We are not going to leave Russia to isolate itself. On the contrary, we are going to expand pragmatic, equal, mutually beneficial, exclusively cooperative relations with friendly countries in Eurasia, Africa and Latin America,” he said.
Putin delivered the remarks, addressing Russia’s Council of Legislators in St. Petersburg, Russia Today reported.
The West, led by the United States, has been imposing numerous rounds of sanctions against Russia since last February when the latter began a special military operation against its neighbor Ukraine. Moscow has denounced both the bans and the West’s incessant arming of Kiev as

counterproductive measures that would only prolong the conflict.
Putin urged the country’s lawmakers and other authorities to work “proactively” against the Western economic measures rather than just “waiting out” the tough times.
He urged the creation of a “basis for the long-term, independent, and successful development of our country.”
Putin emphasized that Russia would not play by the “rules” that are fabricated by others.
“Our partners, or, one might say, already former partners, in some countries are maniacally destroying the legal framework and channels of communication, trying to impose their views and so-called rules on everyone. What are the rules? … Nobody saw them,” he stated.
Such attitude on the part of these countries, he added, has taken its toll on international diplomacy.
At the same time, however, Russia is not going to “self-isolate” itself either.