Putin: Economic Lightning Attacks From Western Countries Are Ineffective, In Fact It Has An Impact On Them

JAKARTA - Russia claims that their economic foundation remains strong despite being beaten here and there by Western countries due to the decision to invade Ukraine. The economic sanctions imposed, said President Vladimir Putin, have failed.

"We can say with complete confidence that this policy -- economic sanctions -- has failed in Russia," Putin said.

Putin spoke at the meeting on economic issues, via videoconference with a number of top Russian officials. Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Chief of Staff of the Executive Office of the President Anton Vaino, First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov, Presidential Adjutant Maxim Oreshkin, Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov, Minister of Finance Anton Siluanov, and Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina were present.

Putin explained that western countries must hope that the sanctions will have a devastating effect on Russia's finances and economy, sow panic in markets, bring about a collapse of the banking system and create a huge shortage of goods in stores.

However, once again, Putin firmly said that the economic blitz had proved ineffective. In fact, Putin said that the sanctions had an impact on western countries themselves.

"I am referring to higher inflation and unemployment and a deteriorating economic outlook for the United States and European countries, as well as the decline in the standard of living of Europeans and the depreciation of their savings," Putin said.

"Russia has been able to withstand this unprecedented pressure. The situation returned to normal with the ruble recovering to its original position in the first half of February, due to a strong trade surplus, which is an objective reality. In the first quarter, the current account surplus exceeded $58 billion , setting a record high in history. Foreign money is returning to the banking sector and household deposits are growing," he explained.

French President Emmanuel Macron decided to stop dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin, following the discovery of hundreds of bodies of victims of mass killings in Ukraine.

The international community was shocked by the discovery of the bodies of civilians suspected of being victims of mass killings in Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv, followed by discoveries in other locations, where abnormalities were found in the bodies of the victims.

"Since the massacres we found in Bucha and in other cities, the war has taken a different turn, so I haven't spoken to him again since, but I don't rule out doing it in the future," President Macron told France's TV5. April 19.

Asked why he had not followed the example of other European leaders and traveled to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, President Macron said a show of support by itself was unnecessary after Russia's February 24 invasion of Ukraine.

"I'm going back to Kyiv, but I'm going there to take something useful with me. Because obviously I don't need to go there to show this support," Macron said, adding that he had spoken about 40 times since the start of the war. for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

"If I go to Kyiv, it will make a difference," he stressed.