Vedomosti: “Top-level counter-propaganda”
There will be no war.
Western Europe lacks its own foreign policy. The United States wasted time and money training Georgian soldiers. Russian fuel and energy can be redirected to the East. These were the main points of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's remarks at a meeting with foreign political analysts.
On September 11, Vladimir Putin met with foreign political analysts in Sochi at an annual meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club for the first time as Russia's Prime Minister. Members of the club asked the first two questions in the presence of Russian journalists.
Jonathan Steele, a columnist from The Guardian, asked why Russian forces that had entered South Ossetia behaved aggressively toward Georgia. He said this seemed like revenge, rather than defence.
Putin replied he was surprised by the power of the Western propaganda machine. "This is amazing, just astounding. It shouldn't wash, but it does somehow." Putin said.
He said Russia's US partners had spent a lot of money on training Georgian soldiers. "Did you expect us to wipe our bleeding nose and bow our head down? What did you expect us to do - brandish a penknife when they are using tanks and heavy artillery? Did you expect us to fight with slingshots?" Putin retorted.
He said Georgian forces should have known we would punch them in the nose.
"It [the United States] should not behave like a Roman emperor and should consider the interests of its partners. We are always open for discussions," Putin said. Russia was prepared to negotiate, he added.
"Nonetheless, it decided to use armed force here. It likes to shoot and bomb so much that it also hoped to succeed here. But why would the US expect this at a time when there is no success in Afghanistan or Iraq? So, it has suffered another setback in this region."
Richard Sakwa, head of the department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Kent, asked why Russia had failed to establish stable relations with the West for the last 200 years.
"And why didn't the West make an effort? I don't want to offend anyone, but Western Europe currently lacks its own foreign policy. Russia cannot and will not function in this system of relations," Putin replied.
The conversation, which lasted for three hours and 15 minutes, took place behind closed doors.
Alexander Rahr, programme director of the Koerber Centre for Russia and CIS Affairs, said Putin's remarks implied that a reversion to the Cold War era was undesirable.
Ariel Cohen, Ph.D., a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, noted exceptionally tough rhetoric with regard to the United States.
Feng Shaolei, dean, school of advanced international and area studies, East China Normal University, said Putin had expressed confidence that the West needed Russia, no matter what, because both sides faced common problems, including terrorism, and because Europe depended on Russian fuel and energy.
If Europe thinks that it does not need Russian oil and gas, Russia will simply sell them to China, member of the European Parliament Giulietto Chiesa quoted the Prime Minister's words.
Referring to the Nord Stream gas-pipeline project, Putin told the audience: "Allow us to finish the pipeline and please stop the fuss."
Putin's speech may induce the West to modify its stand, though it remains very strong, said James Sherr, director of the Russia and Eurasia Programme of the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London.
Putin hopes that, unlike the United States, the European Union will exhibit a more impartial policy toward Russia, Tehran University professor Mehbi Sanaei said.
I asked him about his attitude towards South Ossetia's striving to join Russia, said Helene Carrere d'Encausse, Permanent Secretary of the French Academy of Sciences, who was sitting to Putin's right.
She said Putin replied that the recognition of independence was enough, and that there would be no unification.
Cohen was pleased to note that Putin had no territorial claims in Ukraine. It was important for me to hear that Mr Putin ruled out the possibility of hostilities against Ukraine, including the Crimea; it is important that he does not equate the Crimea with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Cohen said.
According to Putin, Russia will do everything possible to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO, Chiesa said.
When asked who holds the power in Russia, Putin said the question should be addressed to Dmitry Medvedev, Chiesa said and promised to ask Medvedev, due to meet Valdai Club members on Friday.
I'll have time to warn him, Putin noted.
Rahr said Putin felt he was the Number One man in Russia, but that he was always making gestures with regard to Medvedev.
Putin said the West had linked hopes for Russia's democratisation with a liberal Medvedev, but that the situation had changed after the war. Rahr quoted Putin as saying that the West had missed this opportunity.
When asked how long he would serve as Prime Minister, Putin replied this depended on God's will, Cohen said.
