Interfax: Expansion of Russian cooperation in China not end of relations with Europe – Putin

MOSCOW. Oct 2 (Interfax) – Russia has no intention of ending its relations with its traditional partners, including Europe, and expansion of cooperation with China is a global trend, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

“Russia is also thinking about expansion of cooperation with China, and it didn’t begin thinking about it yesterday or due to some sanctions or political restrictions. We have been talking about it for a long time. Why did we create the SCO and BRICS?” Putin said at VTB Capital’s investment forum Russia Calling!.

“However, these sanctions are, of course, making us intensify this work which we are doing. But there is nothing unusual about it. And by the way, we are not going to end our relations with our traditional partners, for example, Europe,” Putin said.

Putin said Russia has the largest trade turnover with the EU countries ($430 billion). “That’s the current situation, but we should look at the future,” he said.