Vladimir Putin Accuses United States Of ‘Settling Its Own Problems’ At Russia’s ‘Expense’

Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the conclusion of a four-hour meeting on Tuesday with his core support group, the People’s Front, that the United States would not succeed in what he called its quest to “subdue” Russia, to loud applause from participants at the event.

The Telegraph reported that Putin’s comments came after a participant at the All-Russia People’s Front forum said the U.S. was trying to “humiliate” Russia. Putin’s response?

“This is not so. The United States is not trying to humiliate us, it wants to subdue us, to settle its own problems at our expense. To make us succumb to its influence.”

The Russian President continued, “No one has ever managed to achieve this aim in relations with Russia or ever will.”

Despite his clear flex of muscles among his own people, Putin did suggest that Russia’s problem wasn’t with the American people per se, saying that Russians “rather like than dislike America and the American people. But most likely, the majority of our citizens have negative attitude towards the policy of the (U.S.) ruling class.”

Putin’s comments come as little surprise as ties between Moscow and Washington reach a new low, mainly due to the current crisis in the Ukraine.

Comments also emerged on German TV recently, made by Putin, which focused on “successive NATO expansion” in eastern and central Europe, which he claims have been “significant geopolitical game changers” that Russia had been forced to respond to.

USA Today reports that Putin added, “Nato and the United States have military bases scattered all over the globe, including in areas close to our borders, and their number is growing. Moreover, just recently it was decided to deploy special operations forces, again in close proximity to our borders. You have mentioned various [Russian] exercises, flights, ship movements and so on. Is all of this going on? Yes, it is indeed.”