14 Aug 2014 16:32

Putin sees Western sanctions as U.S. aim to oust Russia from European markets

YALTA. Aug 14 (Interfax) - The anti-Russian sanctions aim to maintain the United States' global dominance and possibly to 'remove' Russia from European markets, said Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Their (sanctions') aim is to ensure and maintain global domination by the United States and possibly even to create more advantageous conditions for itself in global markets, and even to remove us slightly from the European market," Putin said at a meeting with Duma faction members in Yalta on Thursday.

Russia's annual trade with the U.S. is $27 billion and with Europe $440 billion, he said. "Feel the difference? Any moves in this sense are very sensitive both for us and Europeans, but mean practically nothing for the U.S.," Putin said.