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 United States -led West for trying to destabilize the Russian economy and
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
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.
