Russia won't isolate itself, but rather will expand relations with friendly countries, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with the Council of Legislators on Friday.
"We are not going to isolate ourselves. On the contrary, we will expand pragmatic, equitable, mutually beneficial relations that are nothing less than partnerships with friendly countries in Eurasia, Africa, Latin America," he said.
"In the United States, by the way, we have a lot of people that think along the same lines as we do. Same with Europe. The elites behave differently. But we know that the elites in these countries are far from always conducting the policies that benefit the interest of their own people. It will backfire on them," Putin went on to say.
He said Russia is ready to work with the foreign partners, global companies and corporations that "value their business reputation and want to cooperate with Russia."
He expressed hope that the multiple meetings that the lawmakers in attendance will hold with their foreign counterparts will serve to strengthen ties and mutual trust between countries.
Another report adds from Moscow: Efforts by Washington and its satellites to isolate Moscow are failing completely, with the global majority being unwilling 'to pull the chestnuts out of the fire' for former colonial powers, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Addressing the online Global Conference on Multipolarity on Saturday, Russia's top diplomat said, "It seems only natural that efforts by Washington and its satellites to reverse the course of history and force the international community to live up to a 'rules-based world order' have failed. I will only mention the completely failed course toward isolating Russia that the Westerners have been pursuing."
"The majority of countries inhabited by some 85% of the world's population are reluctant to pull the chestnuts out of the fire for former colonial powers," he added.
Ahead of the conference, the Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out that the event would once again make it possible to heed politicians, public dignitaries, journalists, and academic and cultural figures from around the world, who stand up for multipolarity, and for fairer and more democratic inter-state relations.
