Russia, China do not create military blocs - Putin

ST. PETERSBURG, June 19. /TASS/. Russia and China are by no means creating any military blocs against any other country, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, as he answered questions at the full-scale meeting of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Friday. "Russia and China never build relations that may antagonize others," Putin said. "We never create alliances ‘against’ somebody. We are in the process of building an alliance "for" safeguarding our national interests," Putin said. He asked the audience to remember that NATO had been created as an opponent of the Soviet Union, but when the latter broke up, the alliance did not cease to exist, but continued to expand. "China and Russia are not creating any military blocs," Putin said. "You are. We have no bloc mentality stereotypes. We have been doing our utmost, and, as far as I understand, with success, to think globally, to share responsibility and to achieve mutually acceptable solutions and compromises." "We have never acted from the positions of strength. We have always looked for solutions to be achieved through a negotiating process. Read more