Putin: Energy prices in West rising not through Russia's fault, but their own miscalculations

MOSCOW. March 10 (Interfax) - Energy prices are rising in Western countries, including the United States, not through Russia's fault, but due to the miscalculations of the leadership of those countries, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

"As for those countries that are taking unfriendly steps towards our country, our economy, we are well aware that they are urging their citizens to tighten their belts, to dress more warmly and generally they point to the sanctions they are imposing against us as the reason deterioration in their situation. It all looks very strange, especially since we are fulfilling all our obligations," he said at a meeting with ministers.

"Prices are rising there, but not through our fault. This is the result of their own miscalculations, there is nothing to blame us for," Putin said.

"The same goes for rising prices for oil and petroleum products in the United States. They said they are closing imports of Russian oil to the American market. Prices there are high, inflation is unprecedentedly high, probably an all-time high. They are trying to blame us for the results of their own mistakes," he said.

He said this was obvious to experts, since Russian oil supplies to the U.S. market do not exceed 3%, "a negligible amount."

"And prices there are rising. We have absolutely nothing to do with it. And even here, the ban on the import of Russian oil has absolutely nothing to do with it. They just hide behind these decisions in order to once again deceive their own people yet again," Putin said.