Ukraine war: Russia’s Putin says Western sanctions sparking global economic crisis
- The president said the penalties were fomenting a global crisis that would whiplash against the EU and trigger famine for some of the world’s poorest nations
- Pointing at the rouble’s strength, he added Moscow was coping with the pressure
Putin’s February 24 order of a “special military operation” in Ukraine prompted the United States and its allies to impose sweeping sanctions on Moscow and the Russian elite, steps the Kremlin chief casts as a declaration of economic war.
The West’s sanctions, Putin said, were fomenting a global crisis that would whiplash against the European Union and trigger famine for some of the world’s poorest countries.
“The blame for this lies entirely with the elites of Western countries who are ready to sacrifice the rest of the world to maintain their global dominance,” Putin said at a televised government meeting on the economy.
Still, Putin said, Russia was coping with the pressure.
“Russia is confidently coping with external challenges thanks to both the responsible macroeconomic policies of recent years and systemic decisions to strengthen economic sovereignty, technological and food security.”
