Russia open, will not shut itself in 'national shell' — Putin
VLADIVOSTOK, September 5. /TASS/. Russia is open, it is not isolating itself from anyone and will not lock itself away in a "national shell," Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).
"The modern world is deeply interconnected through technological progress, and isolating oneself in a so-called ‘national shell’ is both harmful and counterproductive, as it undermines competitiveness. Russia remains open to cooperation with all countries, above all with those willing to work with us — our friends. We are not shutting ourselves off from anyone," the Russian leader said.
Addressing the audience, Putin expressed confidence that "the overwhelming majority, if not everybody present in this hall, would agree that such openness serves everybody who embraces this stance or follows this policy."
When asked if he finds protectionism beneficial at all, the Russian head of state said: "It harms those who apply [such policies] and it harms global trade. And it leads to separatism in terms of regions and countries, so it brings nothing good to those who try to follow this policy."
The 10th Eastern Economic Forum is taking place in Vladivostok from September 3 to 6 under the theme "The Far East: Cooperation for Peace and Prosperity." The Roscongress Foundation is the organizer of the EEF, with TASS as its general information partner.
