Obama said that the weakening of the Russian economy is unprofitable for the US

Russia's weak economy poses a threat to both Russian and American national interests, said US President Barack Obama in an interview with the BuzzFeed 11 portal in February.

“[Weak economy] This is bad for Russia, but at the same time, it is bad for the United States, because if Russia does not succeed economically, there is a high risk that they will return to their old expansionist ideas, which have no place in the XXI century "- quotes the American leader BuzzFeed.

In an interview, Obama also gave a detailed description of his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. According to him, the president of Russia “has remained with one foot in the Soviet past.” “So he brought up. Managing the KGB is his basic experience, ”Obama explained. “He sees all the problems through the prism of the Cold War, and as a result, he misses opportunities to diversify the Russian economy, strengthen its relations with its neighbors, and form new approaches that are different from aggression in the spirit of the USSR.”

At the same time, the US President stressed the importance of maintaining diplomatic ties with Russia, despite the deterioration of relations due to Ukraine. "To their credit, they do not mix different topics and continue to work with us on issues such as the Iranian nuclear program," Obama summed up.

Earlier, the Kremlin press service reported that on February 11 had a telephone conversation between Obama and Putin at the initiative of the American side. The heads of state discussed "the situation in Ukraine and the tasks to ensure a peaceful resolution of the acute crisis in this country" and agreed on the "political importance - through dialogue - resolving intra-Ukrainian problems, the early cessation of bloodshed, ensuring the legitimate rights and interests of residents of all regions of Ukraine, including southeast". Obama and Putin have agreed to maintain contacts at all levels.

Their conversation took place against the background of the preparation in Minsk of a summit in the "Norman format" for resolving the Ukrainian crisis. If the Russian authorities do not accept the plan developed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande, the West can toughen sanctions against Russia, and the US also authorize the supply of lethal weapons to Ukraine.

Source - Forbes.ru