Don’t be afraid of Russia, we want peace - Putin’s message to the West

Russia is not a threat to the West, President Vladimir Putin insisted in an interview published on Saturday, saying he was still committed to a Ukraine peace deal after a fresh flare-up in the country’s east. The Russian president spoke ahead of his visit to Italy next week that will include a meeting with Pope Francis. Putin’s interview was released by the Kremlin just as Group of Seven leaders are gearing up to meet in the Bavarian Alps for a summit this weekend without Russia. In the interview, Putin stressed that Russia merely sought to defend itself from outside threats.

I would like to say - there’s no need to be afraid of Russia. The world has changed so much that people in their right mind cannot imagine such a large-scale military conflict today. We have other things to do, I can assure you.

President Vladimir Putin, speaking to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera

Meanwhile, behind the tough talk on Russia expected from President Barack Obama and other leaders gathering in Germany this weekend is a stark reality. None of the world powers believes the economic and diplomatic punishments levied on Russia for its alleged aggression in Ukraine are changing Putin’s calculus, yet there are no plans to shift strategies. At most, leaders hope to emerge from two days of talks in the Bavarian Alps with an agreement to keep U.S. and European Union sanctions against Russia in place, and perhaps a pledge to enact deeper economic penalties if the crisis escalates.

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