Russia not planning to revive empire - Putin

MOSCOW, April 16. /TASS/. Russia has no empire ambitions, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday during the annual question and answer session officially known as "The Direct Line with Vladimir Putin." "We are not going to revive the empire, we have no such goals - what they constantly attempt to accuse us of," Putin said. Putin reminded that Russia has good relations with the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (which currently consists of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Armenia, with Kyrgyzstan set to join the bloc later this year.) He noted that such integration processes are taking place around the world. "We have no empire ambitions, but by developing concerted action and cooperation, we can ensure dignified life, including for the Russian people living today abroad in the CIS countries that are close to us," he said. The Russian leader stressed that the essence of developing relations in the Eurasian Economic Union is not in "pulling them towards us." "The idea is that all people of our countries should start living better and that the borders should be open," Putin said. "What’s the difference for us if the Russians live in this territory or in the neighboring one beyond the state border if they have an opportunity to travel to their relatives and if the living standards grow, if they feel like persons living a full life and their rights are not violated, and they are not banned from speaking the native language," he said. "If all this is observed, what’s the difference for us?" he said. Read more