Vladimir Putin: Russia Is Not Interested in US Defeat - 3 April, 2003

'Recent events in Iraq, especially the large number of casualties, have demonstrated the prudence of Russian policy, which has always been aimed at finding a peaceful solution to the Iraq problem,' Russian President Vladimir Putin announced at a press conference in Tambov yesterday. As the president's press office reports, Mr Putin emphasised that 'the war in Iraq is causing controversy in most countries of the world, including Russia. For political and economic reasons Russia has no interest in a US defeat.' Mr Putin added that 'Russia would prefer it if the Iraq problem were solved by the UN and the Russian Foreign Ministry will do everything in its power to ensure this happens.'