🇷🇺 Vladimir Putin received letters of credence from 17 foreign ambassadors

💬 Vladimir Putin: I warmly welcome all of you at the ceremony for presenting letters of credence here in the Kremlin.

You have been entrusted with an honourable and at the same time responsible mission – to represent your states in Russia. We proceed from the premise that you will be proactively involved in dealing with all kinds of matters relating to political dialogue, trade and economic ties, cultural and humanitarian exchanges, and people-to-people contacts.

☝️The situation in the world is currently challenging, with many disagreements that seem irreconcilable at times and often hinder normal productive cooperation between states. However, I would like to hope that the activity of your embassies will help to foster cooperation between our countries. You may rest assured that all of your initiatives and proposals that are in line with this endeavour will have the support of both Russian officials and our business and public circles.

I would like to emphasise that Russia is open to constructive partnership with all countries without exception. We do not intend to isolate ourselves nor do we have any prejudiced or hostile intentions towards anybody and expect that our partners will adhere to the principles of equality and mutual consideration of interests in their relations with Russia.

The new Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation, approved the other day, sets forth these positions. It formulates a system of views on our national interests in the complicated and rapidly changing world and describes the main goals, tasks and key areas of Russian diplomacy.

The main point is that, as an independent state, Russia pursues a multi-vector foreign policy driven by its national priorities and the awareness of its special responsibility for maintaining peace and security at the global and regional levels. <...>

🇷🇺🇺🇸 Unfortunately, relations between Russia and the United States, which directly affect global security and stability, are going through a deep crisis. It is rooted in fundamentally different approaches to the formation of the modern world order.

Madam Ambassador, I do not wish to upset the positive atmosphere of the ceremony for presenting the letters of credence and I know that you probably won’t share my opinion, but I must say that the use by the US of such foreign policy tools as support for the so-called colour revolutions, including support for the state coup in Ukraine in 2014, ultimately led to the current crisis in Ukraine and exacerbated the deterioration of Russia-US relations.

❗️But we have always supported the development of Russia-US relations exclusively on the principles of equality, mutual respect for each other’s sovereignty and interests, and non-interference in internal affairs. We will continue following these principles in the future as well.

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