Q and A with Vladimir Putin

Only July 19 at the conclusion of his 5th visit to Iran, Vladimir Putin gave straight talk answers to media questions — polar opposite how duplicitous US/Western politicians operate.

On Syria after over 11 years of US direct and proxy aggression with ISIS, other jihadists and White Helmets foot soldiers, Putin said the following:

It’s “necessary to guarantee the territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic and to eliminate all sorts of terrorists.”

Along with supporting Syria’s liberating struggle from hegemon USA’s illegal occupation of territory in the country’s north and south — stealing its oil and terrorizing its people — Putin stressed the importance of providing humanitarian aid to its long-suffering people.

Illegal US/Western sanctions impoverished “nearly 90% of people in Syria,” he explained.

For them, the “situation…is extremely serious.”

Russia is providing Syrians in need with large-scale amount of humanitarian aid — “in full compliance with international humanitarian law,” Putin stressed.

“This means that all humanitarian aid must be provided through the official Syrian authorities, through Damascus.”

On illegal US occupation of Syrian territory, Putin minced no words, saying:

Pentagon troops “should leave” the country.

“(T)hey should stop looting the Syrian state, the Syrian people, taking their oil illegally.”

For restoration of peace and normalization to return, it’s crucial for Syria’s legitimate government in Damascus to control things — free from foreign occupation.

Because of Russian support, Damascus controls over 90% of Syrian territory.

Aided by Russia’s military, Syrian forces “brok(e) the back of (US/Western-supported) international terrorism” in the country, Putin explained.

Discussing his one-on-one meetings with Iranian President Raisi and Ayatollah Khamenei, as well as Turkey’s Erdogan, Putin explained the following, saying:

“There are no secrets here.”

“(A)lmost everything (discussed) is known,” including about strategic, economic, infrastructure development, security and trade issues.

Bilateral Russian/Iranian trade increased “by 40% over the past six months,” Putin explained, adding:

“(T)he first pilot train is traveling along the North-South Railway line.”

“It is a short route to ports in the south of Iran, which further leads to the Persian Gulf and India.”

“There is a practical project.”

“The Rasht-Astara railway is a short 146-kilometer line across Iran.”

“Russia is interested in this, because it will connect Russia’s northern region, St Petersburg, directly to the Persian Gulf.”

“It is a very interesting and promising project.”

“The task now is to build this line.”

Russia is involved in talks between Iran and the IAEA.

Moscow and Ankara are involved of facilitating the export of Ukrainian grain.

Along with the puppet Kiev regime, hegemon USA blocked it to falsely blame Russia for what it had nothing to do with.

On exports of Russian natural gas, Putin stressed that Gazprom always honors its commitments.

Because of US/Western sanctions war on Russia, their ruling regimes created an energy crisis.

During the first half of 2020, European importers of natural gas  paid about 100 euros per 1,000 cubic meters.

A year later, the same amount cost 250 euros.

Today it’s about 1,700 euros.

The US-dominated West bears full responsibility for what Russia had nothing to do with.

US/Western sanctions war on Russia and related policies caused price of gas to skyrocket — because the supply from Russia was artificially reduced.

The same reality applies to Russian oil.

Cutting supply increased the price.

And this from Biden regime deputy Treasury secretary, Wally Adeyemo, on Wednesday:

“We are following on what the Europeans have done” — as ordered by their US master, Adeyemo left unexplained, adding:

“In their sixth package they introduced the idea of a price cap, but they also said by December they plan to put in place their insurance ban.”

“So our goal is to make sure that as that insurance ban is going into place we are in a position where there is a price cap that has to drive down global energy prices and also allows Russian energy to flow into the marketplace.”

In response, Russian Deputy Prime Minister, Alexander Novak, said the following:

“If these prices spoken about are lower than costs of producing oil, Russia will definitely not provide for supplies of such oil to international markets.”

“It means that we will not simply run at a loss.”

Putin said the following on this issue:

The US-dominated West is “fall(ing)  into the same trap with the import of oil and petroleum products.”

“We hear all sorts of crazy ideas about capping the volume of Russian oil imports or the price of Russian oil.”

“This is going to lead to the same situation as with gas.”

“The result will be the same – rising prices. Oil prices will spiral.”

Except for special arrangements with China, India and perhaps other  designated Russian allies, buyers of Russian oil, gas and other commodities should be given a choice.

Pay the market price or be cut off.

A Final Comment

According to the WSJ on Wednesday:

A European Commission plan “calls  for EU countries to voluntarily curb their gas consumption by 15% over the next eight months and set priorities to determine which industrial sectors would be most affected.”

What’s proposed may become mandatory ahead if not complied with voluntarily.

The plan also calls for greater reliance on coal and nuclear to compensate for lower gas supplies.

Households and public buildings may be told to lower their thermostats.

Before yearend, will energy rationing become official EU policy?

By allying with Washington’s war on Russia by proxy hot and other means, Europe continues to shoot itself in the foot.

Their ruling regimes fail to realize that their countries are hegemon USA’s main target, not Russia — to give corporate America a competitive advantage over their industries.