Appearing on World Order 2018, an Amazon Prime documentary by TV host Vladimir Solovjev, the Russian President discussed topics rarely answered by world leaders. During an interview with Mr Solovjev about the destabilisation of Eastern Ukraine and the EU’s restrictive measures in response to the “illegal” annexation of Crimea, Putin derided attempts made by Brussels to weaken Russia. When asked whether the bloc will lift sanctions against Moscow over the Ukraine crisis, the Russian head dismissed the question, saying: “We did not introduce them.
“Ask who did this.”
Referring to Ukraine, he added: “What can they do?
“They are very dependent on the European Union, they can’t act on their own.”
Mr Solovjev interrupted him to ask: “Then who is the independent player?”
Putin smiled and confidently rebutted: “Russia is.
“There are some other countries but I don’t answer for them.
“Ask them how independent they are.
“You see when they are overtaken with internal problems of some serious character they become dependent on these processes and such countries become unpredictable.
“It affects their reliability.
“So are they independent or dependant? And on whom they depend?”
Ukraine and Russia have been embattled since Moscow supported a pro-Russian separatist uprising in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, in 2014, where armed conflict remains to this day.
Since then, the EU has progressively imposed economic sanctions and restrictive measures against Russia.
The most recent measures consist of asset freezes and travel restrictions, which currently apply to 155 persons and 44 entities.
However, last October, Italy’s Eurosceptic government made a show of friendship with Russia and dangled the prospect of an Italian veto on EU sanctions when they come up for renewal at an EU summit in December.
Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said: “Italy considers it fruitful to convince all European partners to move in the same direction.
“Therefore, we would not make a decision now. We will take it in due time”.