Russian President Vladimir Putin has given an interview to French TV-channel TF1. During that interview, President Putin talked about such issues as the situation in Syria, canceling his visit to Paris, and other topics.
MOSCOW, October 12 (Sputnik) – The United States and its allies are overall primarily responsible for the situation in Syria, while accusations with respect to Russia are “political rhetoric,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said. “I would say that this is political rhetoric which has no common sense and is not taking the real situation into account,” Putin said, speaking of the west accusing Russia of bombing Aleppo. I am deeply convinced that the responsibility for the situation in the region as a whole and Syria in particular lies on our Western partners, primarily of course the United States and its allies,” Putin told the TF1 television channel. When talking about the attack on the aid convoy in Aleppo, President Putin said that Russia was ready to ensure the security of a humanitarian convoy heading to Aleppo via Castello Road jointly with US servicemen, but Washington refused. “We got an offer that our armed forces, the servicemen of the Russian army, stand on this road and ensure security… I said no, we shall do it, but only with the US side, offer it to them. They refused straight away, they do not want to stand [there], they do not want to pull back military units of these opposition terrorist groups,” Putin told the TF1 television channel. On Refugee Crisis Accusations that Russia is responsible for the mass outflow of people from Syria because of its military operation there are completely groundless, as this process commenced long before Russia became active in the country, Russian President Vladimir Putin said. On Sunday, US Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton claimed that many people had to leave Syria because of alleged Russian aggression. “Any accusations that Russia is allegedly to blame in the refugee issue are completely groundless,” Putin told the TF1 television channel. According to the president, the issue emerged long before Russia’s presence in Syria. “The massive outflow of people from this huge territory in the Middle East, even in Africa, in Afghanistan, it began long before our active actions in Syria,” Putin said. Speaking of the humanitarian situation in Syria’s Aleppo, the Russian president stressed that militants could not be allowed to use people as a human shield. “We cannot allow them to blackmail the whole world when they are taking hostages, killing, beheading. If you want to finish the job of fighting terrorism, then they should be fought,” Putin said.
Read more: https://sputniknews.com/politics/201610121046274364-putin-interview-tf1/
