Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Western sanctions are an opportunity for the country to strengthen its technological and economic sovereignty.
“The last few years have shown that where Westerners have imposed restrictions against us, we have acquired new skills and restored old ones to a new technological level,” Putin said in the opening speech of the meeting with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko in Moscow.
“This is a time of opportunity to advance in strengthening technological and economic sovereignty,” he added.
Putin also believes that Russia and Belarus will overcome these difficulties and even “acquire more skills, more opportunities to feel independent, self-sufficient and ultimately benefit. [delas]as was the case in previous years”.
Lukashenko echoed the Russian’s sentiment, saying Belarus has everything it needs to restore its sanctioned economy.
“We need to rebuild our economy. And we have everything we need to restore our own economy, we can do without them. We have everything to continue normal life and work,” said Lukashenko.
The Belarusian head of state also said he was happy for the start of the war in Ukraine, citing false claims that biological weapons and nuclear plants were at risk if Russia did not invade.
Lukashenko also made an unfounded claim that Ukraine was “preparing to attack not only Donbas, but also put up positions to attack Belarus”.
Western sanctions hit Russian economy
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Thursday highlighted the economic and financial damage caused by the sanctions imposed by the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union in recent weeks.
“We isolated Russia financially. The ruble is in free fall. The Russian stock market is closed. Russia was effectively excluded from the international financial system,” Yellen said, adding that the Russian central bank’s access to its reserves was largely cut off.
On Wednesday (9), one US dollar could buy 117 rubles in Moscow after the currency dropped 10% and hit a new record low.
Fitch Ratings reduced the rating on Tuesday (8) and warned that a default was “imminent”.
Source: CNN Brasil
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