Vladimir Putin: The Future Of Europe Depends On Creating Collective Security System On The Continent

The future of Europe depends today "on creating a system of collective security on the continent, capable of countering the present-day threats." Putin said this in an interview to the Greek newspapers Eleftherotypia and Vima, the text of which was distributed by the press service of the Russian president. "Russia is ready to conduct an equal dialogue with all European partners and the USA," stressed the Russian president. Speaking about cooperation with Europe on the whole, Vladimir Putin confirmed that "the development of relations with the European structures and separate states is one of the main and natural foreign policy priorities of our country." "The situation in the world, which obtained after the events of September 11, shows that the most important element of the new relations should be mutual trust," the Russian president believes. Without this it is impossible to build a greater Europe, united by the common economic and security space, he continued. "I am deeply convinced that full and equal partnership with Russia and uniting resources with it is the necessary condition for the realisation by Europe of its potential as a powerful and independent centre of world politics," Putin said.