Situation in Ukraine may have negative effect on Customs Union - Putin
5 March 2014, 17:43 -- President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that the crisis in Ukraine could have a negative effect on the Customs Union linking Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, and called for measures to protect the three nations' producers and exporters. 'There might be negative effects for the Customs Union as well, so we should all think together on what needs to be done to protect our producers and exporters and work out parameters of cooperation with Ukraine,' Putin said during a meeting of the Higher Eurasian Economic Council attended by the presidents of Belarus and Kazakhstan.
'The extraordinary situation ... in Ukraine arouses serious concerns,' Putin told the presidents of Belarus and Kazakhstan at the start of talks at his residence outside Moscow.
'Ukraine is a key economic partner of the Customs Union. Close industrial and trade ties unite us. Ukraine belongs to the CIS free trade zone. The extraordinary situation in Ukraine arouses most serious concern. The Ukrainian economy is in a deep, if not very deep crisis. Negative consequences for the market of the Customs Union are also possible,' he said opening a session of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council at the level of heads of state.
'Together we should think about what should be done to protect our manufacturers and exporters. And also work out parameters of further interaction with Ukraine,' he said.
Putin: To start drawing up agreement on Armenia and Eurasian Economic Union
Russian President Vladimir Putin believes it is time to start drawing up an agreement on Armenia's accession to the Eurasian Economic Union, which should be formed in 2015.
'The Eurasian integration project is appealing to our CIS partners. The negotiations on engaging Armenia and Kyrgyzstan are at the most advanced stage now,' Putin said in opening a summit of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council on Wednesday.
Armenia has already adopted and is successfully implementing an action plan to adapt the country's law to the Customs Union and the Unified Economic Area standards, he said.
'Therefore, I believe we can switch to drawing up an agreement on Armenia's accession to the future Eurasian Economic Union,' Putin said.
The Russian leader invited all participants in the project to weigh its possible advantages and disadvantages. He also pointed out that it is important to continue Kyrgyzstan's accession to the Eurasian Economic Union.
Economic cooperation should be with all partners despite Ukraine crisis - Putin
President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday he did not want political tension to detract from economic cooperation with Russia's 'traditional partners'. 'We are seeing known political tension, it should not affect our current economic cooperation,' Putin told cabinet members, VoR's reported Ilya Harlamov reports.
'It's not necessary to add to the difficult situation, we need to cooperate with all our traditional partners - while providing for our own interests, of course. It is not necessary to whip things up,' he said.
Russia ready to hold G8 summit, cannot force its partners do participate - Putin
Russia is ready to hold a G8 summit in Sochi but it cannot force its partners to do so against their will, Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters on Tuesday. 'Concerning the G8, I do not know. We are preparing for the G8 [summit] and will be ready to welcome our colleagues, but if they do not want to come, they do not have to,' he said.
Russia does not consider annexing Crimea to its territory - Putin
The tense situation in Crimea, in which the use of the armed forces was possible, is gone, Russian President Vladimir Putin said. 'The tense situation in Crimea with the possible use of the armed forces has simply expired. There was no such need,' Putin told reporters in Novo-Ogaryovo on Tuesday.
Russia will extend financial assistance to Ukraine's Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said. 'We have made a decision to arrange Russian regions' work in order to provide certain assistance to Crimea, which has sought our humanitarian support,' Putin said at a meeting with journalists on Tuesday.
'I cannot tell you how much [aid money will be provided], when and from what sources. The government is tackling these issues by promoting ties between our border regions and Crimea and possibly extending additional support to our regions in order to enable them to support the residents of Crimea. We are certainly taking these steps,' he said.
West turned political life in Ukraine into farce - Putin
The West has turned political life in Ukraine into a farce, President Vladimir Putin told reporters in Novo-Ogaryovo on Tuesday. 'I sometimes get the impression that a laboratory, located over there, across a big pool, somewhere in America, is running experiments on rats of a sort, unaware of the consequences of what they are doing,' Putin said. 'Why should all this have been done? Who can explain? There are no explanations whatsoever,' Putin said.
Russia ready for new tranches of financial aid to Ukraine, but West asks us not to do so - Putin
Russia is ready to disburse new tranches of financial aid to Ukraine, but its western partners are asking it not to do so for now, Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters.
'By and large we are ready to look at further steps to provide other tranches and to buy an additional bond issue, but our western partners are asking us not to do so. They are asking us about working together in the framework of the IMF in order to get the Ukrainian government, the Ukrainian authorities to conduct the reforms needed to revive the economy,' he said.
He said the government was 'looking at various options' due to the fact that 'Naftogaz Ukrainy is not paying Gazprom.'
Russia does not recognize presidential elections in Ukraine if they are conducted under terror - Putin
Russia may recognize outcomes of Ukrainian presidential elections if the vote of Ukrainian citizens is free and there is no terror, Russian President Vladimir Putin said. Journalists asked Putin whether Russia might acknowledge results of Ukrainian presidential elections. 'That depends on the way in which they are held. If they are held against the backdrop of terror that we are now witnessing in Kiev, then we won't recognize them,' he said.
Russia ready to cooperate even with incumbent Ukrainian authorities
Moscow is ready to cooperate even with the incumbent Ukrainian authorities it considers illegal, Russian President Vladimir Putin said. 'By the way, we are exhibiting patience and readiness for certain cooperation even under such circumstances. We do not want to discontinue cooperation and I instructed the government several days ago to think about ways to carry on contacts even with those Kiev authorities that we consider illegal with the purpose of preserving contacts in the economy and industries,' Putin told reporters on Tuesday.
'We think that our actions are quite grounded and any threats towards Russia are counterproductive and harmful,' the Russian president stressed.
If Russia decides to use armed forces in Ukraine it will fully comply with int'l law - Putin
President Vladimir Putin said a decision to use military force in Ukraine, if made, will fully comply with international law. 'Even of we make the decision, if I make the decision to use military force, it will be legitimate,' Putin told reporters on Tuesday.
He said this decision will fully comply with 'the general norms of international law, since we have received a request from the legitimate president.'
The decision will also match Russia's obligations, Putin said.
'In this case it will coincide with our interests to defend the people we consider linked with us historically, in the sense that we have common culture and strong economic ties,' the Russian president said.
Current authorities in Kiev do not hold nationwide mandate to determine Ukraine's future - Putin
The incumbent Ukrainian authorities do not have the national mandate to conduct the country's economic and foreign policy, Russian President Vladimir Putin said. 'We think that all citizens of Ukraine, irrespective of their place of residence, must enjoy equal rights to partake in the country's life and to decide the future of this country,' Putin told reporters on Tuesday.
'If I were those who consider themselves the [Ukrainian] legitimate authorities, I would have hurried up with the related procedures,' Putin said. 'They do not have the national mandate to conduct domestic, foreign and economic policy, [nor do they have the mandate] to decide the future of Ukraine,' he said.
Changes in former Soviet republics should happen in accordance with constitutions - Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that changes in former Soviet republics should take place strictly in accordance with their constitutions. 'In the former Soviet republics, where the politics are very fragile and the economies are very weak, one has to strictly follow the constitution,' Putin told reporters on Tuesday. Going beyond constitutional norms 'will always be a big mistake,' he said.
There is no reason for military actions in Ukraine at the moment - Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin said there is currently no need to send Russian troops to Ukraine. 'As to the sending of troops, there is currently no such need,' Putin told reporters. 'However, there is such a possibility,' he said. ussian forces may be used in Ukraine under extreme circumstances only, Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters in Novo-Ogaryovo on Tuesday. 'What can be the justification for using the armed forces? Certainly, extreme circumstances,' he said.
'We are not going to go to war with Ukrainian people. If we make this decision we will make it in order to protect Ukrainian people. How can army shoot at innocent people?' Vladimir Putin said.
Ukraine revolt 'an anti-constitutional coup and armed seizure of power' – Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin has called the revolution in Ukraine 'an anti-constitutional coup and an armed seizure of power.'
'There's no denying it. The question is why it has been done,' he added.
'Are the current authorities legitimate? Parliament partially yes. The rest are not. From the legal point of view it's Yanukovych who is the legal president, said Vladimir Putin. 'The main thing is to give people the right to decide their fate.'
Revocation of Ambassador from Washington is extreme measure, but we will use it if needed - Putin
Russia will recall its ambassador from the United States only in the worst case scenario. 'It would be an extreme measure. But it will be used if it becomes necessary,' Putin told reporters in Novo-Ogaryovo. 'This is something that I strongly oppose' he said.
Voice of Russia, Interfax
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