Vladimir Putin: "America is a great power - today probably the only superpower. We accept that."

[Arkain2K]

(Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin said on Friday he accepted the United States was probably still the world's sole superpower and he was ready to work with whoever won the presidency, but didn't want to be told how to live by Americans.

Putin's comments follow a rocky period in U.S.-Russia relations, which have been undermined by disagreements over issues such as Ukraine and Syria.

Putin reiterated criticism of what he said was the misguided role of the United States in Ukraine's affairs and said he opposed what he cast as U.S. efforts to prevent Russia repairing its relations with the European Union.

But he had some positive words too.

"America is a great power - today probably the only superpower. We accept that," Putin said at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum. "We want to and are ready to work with the United States."

Asked about Donald Trump, Putin appeared to play down positive comments he had made about the Republican contender in the past, saying those had been misinterpreted.

In December, Putin described Trump as "very flamboyant", "very talented" and "an absolute leader in the presidential race".

Those comments, along with warm words from Trump about Putin, have fueled speculation the Kremlin would be pleased to see Trump in the White House.

But on Friday Putin said he had only described Trump as "flamboyant".

"He is, isn't he?" said Putin with a smile. "I did not give any other assessment of him."

Putin said he welcomed Trump's desire to restore U.S.-Russia ties. "What's wrong with that?" Putin asked, drawing applause from the audience.

He appeared keen however to hedge Russia's bets by avoiding the impression he was taking sides, and also emphasized his "warm relations" with former U.S. President Bill Clinton, whose wife Hillary is running for the White House.

Putin said he was grateful for the attention and respect Bill Clinton had shown to Russia and Putin personally.

He had less to say about Hillary Clinton though, saying he had never worked with her directly.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0Z31G4

 

[Metusalemi]

Nobody told Putin America is filled with toxic masculinity?

 

[mygoddotcom]

Smart guy... minimizing risk while not being abused in the process

 

[mike sherry]

But he's the enemy

 

[TheGreatA]

I wouldn't regard Russia as a threat to the West right now. They simply do not possess the resources to commit themselves into any kind of prolonged warfare. Putin, overall, has seemed far more interested in domestic issues than international affairs. It's a huge piece of land that is difficult enough to run as it is.

Their Middle Eastern campaign didn't last very long before the Russians had seen enough. The incident with Crimea happened only because the Ukrainians cannot get their shit together. If Ukraine had a stable government and a populace which did not attempt to over-throw their elected leaders every 5 or so years, do people really think Russia would've had the balls to do what they did? Even then, it was as indirect of a confrontation as they could've possibly managed.

 

[Madmick]

LOL. It's always most delicious to watch the "strong" ones slowly break and humble themselves before assuming prostration.

 

[Darwinambrosius]

fedor's performance broke him.

 

[GearSolidMetal]

If you think Putin is being straight, admitting weakness in a public statement, and not working an angle...

...you're an idiot.

 

[Madmick]

If you think Putin is being straight, admitting weakness in a public statement, and not working an angle...

...you're an idiot.

If you believe it doesn't matter what position a politician takes in terms of rhetoric...then you probably don't care if Obama uses the word "Radical Islam" or not.

There is what you are, and there is what you pretend to be, and anyone who has read a book like Mother Night gains a deeper understanding into how these two things, ultimately, are not as separate as they appear; that to believe you will always be able to disentangle the two is the hubris of the true idiots.

This is forced weakness. He got awful quiet after the crude prices floored. Putin is being political, but if you don't think it matters how someone plays their hand, then you nary understand politics.

 

[Orgasmo]

Anyone who doesn't accept that US is the only superpower in the world is delusional. Even during the height of Soviet Union, it never achieved total parity with US.

 

[Rex Kwon Do]

Told how to live? Pretty sure that's not what the American government cares about how, unless you consider annexing territory a way of living.

 

[frandie2b]

Told how to live? Pretty sure that's not what the American government cares about how, unless you consider annexing territory a way of living.

Yeah, U.S govt is too busy funding revolutions to overthrown governments like in Ukraine and setting up military bases around Russia.

 

[IDL]

Yeah, U.S govt is too busy funding revolutions to overthrown governments like in Ukraine and setting up military bases around Russia.

This game will continue regardless of who is sitting in the whitehouse.

People pay far too much attention to the public faces that get swapped in and out every 4 or 8 years.

 

[Rex Kwon Do]

Yeah, U.S govt is too busy funding revolutions to overthrown governments like in Ukraine and setting up military bases around Russia.

Lol, so you're a Putinist, then? Let me guess, you eat up his propaganda about Ukrainians being "fascists," eh?

Those bases are set up in allied countries, unless you didn't notice. They're free to do what they like. If they want the US to protect them by setting up a base, that's their right, and neither you nor Putin have good reason to bitch. When you're a small country and you're worried about a large country, that's what you do--you make alliances with a different large country to promise to help you out. Shocking. Poor oppressed Russia. Truly "telling them how to live."

Weird to see a leftist being so supportive of an autocratic, anti-liberal strongman like Putin.

 

[SouthoftheAndes]

Told how to live? Pretty sure that's not what the American government cares about how, unless you consider annexing territory a way of living.

Your pretty delusional if you don't see the obvious hypocrisy of the west and how they are treating the Russian annexation of Crimea. The west supports all "referendums" for states it supports and opposes it for states it opposes. We have seen this time and time again. With Kosovo, with the Falkland islands etc.

When it suits America and the EU elite they claim to back "popular" and democratic creations of either succession or accession for states.

And I honestly wouldn't care if Russia annexed parts of northern Kazakhstan either. It's not like we are going to do anything. Oh and keep in mind that the people in Crimea are not oppressed and that Russia gifted Crimea to Ukraine in the 1950s under the USSR apparatus. Of course a Russian annexation would only likely happen if the people in the northern parts of Kazakhstan wanted it. Which they do.

This game will continue regardless of who is sitting in the whitehouse.

People pay far too much attention to the public faces that get swapped in and out every 4 or 8 years.

America probably won't be the sole strongest power for much longer. I forsee a new multipolar world. America demographically and ideologically is too split up and divided. If my generation is used as any prediction of the future the things wont be good. We already see larger and larger cohorts of the American populace outright calling for Socialism in America. This isn't even mentioning the war on intellectualism and the desire to recreate everything.

Comrade

 

[Rusk]

But he's the enemy

If USA really want to destroy Russia, Putin should be "your" friend.

 

[IDL]

America probably won't be the sole strongest power for much longer. I forsee a new multipolar world. America demographically and ideologically is too split up and divided. If my generation is used as any prediction of the future the things wont be good. We already see larger and larger cohorts of the American populace outright calling for Socialism in America.

Comrade

Multi-polar in some ways, and dissolved in others. The US will gradually cede sovereignty to global order and the nation-state that is the US will be watered down to be more of a region adopting the globalist framework of international socialism, and like so many other countries it will lose its historical identity that makes it distinct.

That's how I see things trending.

 

[Rusk]

Your pretty delusional if you don't see the obuoys hypocrisy of the west and how they are treating the Russian annexation of Crimea. The west supports all "referendums" tor states it supports and opposes it for states it opposes. We have seen this time and time again. With Kosovo, with the Falkland islands etc.

Russian State is equally hypocritical when it comes to referendums. Its actually illegal in Russia to advocate for separatism, but it advocates for separatism in Ukraine.

Politics....

 

[SouthoftheAndes]

Lol, so you're a Putinist, then? Let me guess, you eat up his propaganda about Ukrainians being "fascists," eh?

Those bases are set up in allied countries, unless you didn't notice. They're free to do what they like. If they want the US to protect them by setting up a base, that's their right, and neither you nor Putin have good reason to bitch. When you're a small country and you're worried about a large country, that's what you do--you make alliances with a different large country to promise to help you out. Shocking. Poor oppressed Russia. Truly "telling them how to live."

Weird to see a leftist being so supportive of an autocratic, anti-liberal strongman like Putin.

There are strong fascist elements in Ukraine and Neo Nazi elements. That much is true. The EU has been turning a blind eye to this because those fascists for whatever reason support wanting to be in the EU.

Not even mentioning the rise of antisemitism in Ukraine is driven by the anti Russians, fascists who are allied with the west.

Honestly the best way to stop the fighting is to partition the country. That is what will need to be done in Iraq, Syria and eventually Turkey. History show's forcing people together and trying to impose your morals on them does not work. Balknizing these turbulent regions will stop much of the violence.

 

[Rusk]

There are strong fascist elements in Ukraine and Neo Nazi elements. That much is true. The EU has been turning a blind eye to this because those fascists for whatever reason support wanting to be in the EU.

If you are talking about Right Sector, then i can say that they got Jews and Russians in it, and they dont want to be in NATO or EU. AFAIK.