Russian President Putin Gives His Annual State Of The Nation Address

Putin To Legislators: West Wants To Weaken Russia -- Voice of America

MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin lashed out Thursday at the United States and its European allies, saying Western sanctions for Russia's annexation of Crimea were just an excuse to weaken the country.



Delivering his annual state of the nation speech to legislators, Kremlin officials and other leaders on Thursday, Putin said the sanctions are not just a reaction of the U.S. and its allies over Russia's response to the events and a coup in Ukraine.



"I am certain that if all this did not take place ... they would come up with another reason to contain Russia's growing capabilities, to influence it or, even better, use it for its own goals," the Russian leader said.



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More News On Russian President Putin's Annual State Of The Nation Address

Putin's Address to Federal Assembly 2014 (Full Coverage) -- Sputnik

Vladimir Putin's annual state of the nation address (Full Coverage) -- ITAR-TASS



Key points of Vladimir Putin's annual state of the nation address -- ITAR-TASS

Highlights - Putin delivers keynote speech on economy, Ukraine -- Reuters

Bullish Putin compares the West with Hitler in combative state-of-the-nation speech (...but not everyone's impressed as prime minister Medvedev falls asleep) -- Daily Mail

Putin defends Russia's foreign policy -- AP

Putin says foes hope to dismember Russia; ruble falls -- Reuters

President Putin urges Russian resilience for hard times -- BBC

Vladimir Putin: west has tried to contain Russia for decades -- The Guardian

Putin compares West with Adolf Hitler in desire to subjugate Russia -- The Telegraph

In Kremlin speech, Putin rails at West, tries to bolster economy as recession looms -- Washington Post

Putin: Russia Needs to Reverse Trend of Zero Economic Growth -- Sputnik

Putin speech offers few reforms for economic woes -- Bloomberg Businessweek/AP

Putin Suggests Total Amnesty for Offshore Capital Returning to Russia -- Sputnik

Putin Suggests Four-Year Tax Freeze in Russia -- Sputnik

Presidential Address Should Not Be Viewed as New Economic Policy: Kremlin -- Sputnik

Russia’s Putin Accuses West of Provoking Ukraine Crisis -- WSJ

Putin: Talking to Russia from position of strength is meaningless -- RT

Putin: Under No Circumstances Will Moscow Stop Cooperating With Europe, US -- Sputnik

Putin says Russia will not be dismantled like Yugoslavia -- Reuters

Putin says Russia wants cooperation with the West -- Reuters

Putin Accuses Western 'Enemies' of Building New Iron Curtain Around Russia -- Vice

Rouble falls sharply as Putin blames West over Ukraine in keynote speech -- Reuters

Russian assets fall after Putin disappoints and oil slide resumes -- Reuters

Putin Grasping at Straws as Economic Cures Fail to Impress -- Bloomberg



My Comment: I listened to all of his speech (and in Russian) .... and I was completely underwhelmed. I must confess taht after 10 minutes I felt like Russian Prime Minister Medvedev (see picture below).

With his eyes closed, Russian prime minister Dmitri Medvedev appears to be having a nap during Putin's speech.