INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
invasion of Ukraine in his address at the St
Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) Friday.After starting nearly two hours late due to alleged cyberattacks, the Russian
president delivered an impassioned speech that scorned the U.S.-led West for trying to destabilize the Russian economy and championed his
forum, Putin directly addressed the topic of Ukraine, repeating that Russia was left with little other choice but to invade its pro-Western
Ukraine.Instead, he claimed, Western leaders have only brought the sovereignty of their own nations into question and threatened a global
administration and the Eurocrats," Putin said.The West has repeatedly accused Russia of deliberately targeting Ukrainian grain stores,
something that threatens widespread famine as the two warring nations account for nearly one-third of the global grain supply.Speaking after
the European Commission recommended granting Kyiv EU candidate status, Putin said Russia has "nothing against" Ukraine's possible European
Union membership."We have nothing against it
It's their sovereign decision to join economic unions or not..
which Moscow considers a threat to its security.But "as far as their economic integration is concerned, it is their choice," Putin said."The
EU is not a military alliance, unlike NATO," he said.He did, however, say he believed that if Ukraine went ahead with joining the EU it
would "turn into a semi-colony" of Western countries."That's my opinion," he said.AFP contributed reporting.
