OREANDA-NEWS. Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at a plenary meeting of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, compared the situation with the construction of the Nord Stream II gas pipeline with a raider seizure. The event is broadcast by the Russian media. The Russian leader began his speech by saying that “the rapid emergence of new, developing economies doesn’t fit in well with ideas that quite recently seemed unshakable in other states”.

“The patterns set before, in fact, put Western countries in an exceptional position, predetermined their leadership in advance, the rest remained to follow in their fairway”, the head of state noted. When this “comfortable habitual” system for the West“ began to loosen up, when competitors grew up, they leaped in both ambition and the desire to maintain their dominance at any cost”, the president added. As a result, the states, “who previously preached the principles of free trade and fair competition, spoke in the language of trade wars and sanctions”, as well as “frank economic raiding with arm twisting, intimidation, elimination of competitors by so-called non-market methods”, Putin is convinced.

There are many examples of this, the head of state considers. “I’ll now say that it directly concerns us and that, I think, on everyone’s lips. Well, for example, the construction of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline, the president said. This project, Putin assured, "fully meets the national interests of all participants and Russia." If not for this, the president added, Western partners wouldn't participate in the construction, the politician believes.

However, this, Putin continued, “doesn't fit the logic and does not meet the interests of those who, within the framework of the existing universalist model, have become accustomed to exclusivity and permissiveness”.