Putin Says Russia Under Pressure for Defending Its Sovereignty
 Russian President Vladimir Putin accused opponents of pressuring his country because it’s defending its sovereignty and said it should take steps to maintain stability. Those nations leading moves to impose sanctions on Russia are the ones responsible for the conflict in eastern Ukraine, Putin told a Russian Security Council meeting on Friday. Russia shouldn’t “count on a change in the unfriendly course on the part of some of our geopolitical opponents” in the European Union and the U.S., he said. It’s “obvious that attempts to split and divide our society” have failed and Russia should maintain political, social and economic stability, Putin said. The country must remain open for cooperation, while adjusting its national security strategy to take account of economic threats. The EU last month extended its trade and investment curbs against Russia over the conflict in Ukraine until the end of January, amid the worst confrontation between the government in Moscow and its former Cold War opponents since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Putin, whose public approval rating hit a record 89 percent in June, has rallied support with calls to patriotism and a defense of Russian interests, while denying U.S. and European allegations that he is fueling the conflict by sending troops and weapons to support separatists in Ukraine. |
