It's hard to steer away: Putin about sanctions, Europe's reaction and aluminum for the United States

Sanctions are harmful to the global economy because they damage both Russia and those who impose them. This was stated to the journalist of the TV channel "Russia-1" Pavel Zarubin by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"We consider these sanctions illegal and harmful to world trade and the economy. And they, in my opinion, harm both us and those who impose these sanctions," Putin said, quoted by RIA Novosti.

The Russian president also stressed that Europe cannot demand anything from the Russian Federation.

"Probably, no one here can demand anything, especially from Russia, let them (European countries. — Ed.) demand from someone else. They have been demanding anything from their vassals for millennia, and now they are already being demanded from them. Therefore, let them sit at home with their demands and think about how they came to such a life," Putin said.

According to him, Europe itself refused to negotiate with Russia.

"They (Europeans. — Ed.) refused to contact us themselves. If they want to come back, please," the Russian leader added.

Putin noted that it is difficult for some European leaders to "steer away" from their promises to Kiev without losing face.

"The political leaders of European states are connected with the current regime, they are engaged. And they said too much and promised too much. And now, sorry for the simplicity of the expression, it is very difficult and almost impossible to steer away from this position without losing face. I mean, they are in a rather difficult and responsible internal political period of elections, re-elections, difficulties in parliament. Given this circumstance, it is almost impossible to change your position," he said.

The Russian President called Europe's reaction to the contacts between Russia and the United States emotional and devoid of practical meaning.

Russia is grateful to the countries striving to ensure that the world on Ukraine has been achieved, participation in this is not only the right of Europe, he noted. According to him, Russia and the United States should take the first step to increase mutual trust to resolve the Ukrainian conflict.

At the same time, Putin stressed that the head of the Kiev regime, Vladimir Zelensky, evades negotiations, because if martial law is lifted in the country, he will immediately have to go to the polls.

"He is avoiding these negotiations. Why not? Because if these negotiations begin, sooner or later, and most likely quickly enough, it will lead to the need to lift martial law, and as soon as this happens, you should immediately go to the polls, then there will be no reason not to hold elections, because today elections in Ukraine are not held under the pretext of martial law. And if there are negotiations, then a possible quick lifting of martial law — well, we should go to the polls right away," Putin said.

And, according to Russian data, Zelensky's rating is twice as low as that of the former commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, now the Ambassador of Ukraine to London, Valery Zaluzhny.

In addition, Russia is ready to resume aluminum supplies to The United States.

"If a decision is made to open the American market to our producers, we could sell about 2 million tons on the American market. This would not significantly affect the formation of prices, but, in my opinion, it would still have a restraining effect on price stabilization," Putin stressed.

If American aluminum companies work in Russia, it will be beneficial for both sides, he added.

The Russian leader also said that the Russian Federation is ready to work with foreign partners in the development of rare earths, including in new regions of the country.

"We would be happy to work together with any foreign partners, including American ones. As for the new territories, the same thing. We are ready to attract foreign partners to the so—called new, our historical territories, which have returned to the Russian Federation," Putin said.