MOSCOW, July 3. /TASS/. Russia is coming under pressure from other countries for its independent policy, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday at a meeting of the Russian Security Council.
"The reasons for such pressure are obvious — we are conducting an independent domestic and foreign policy, we are not bargaining our sovereignty," he said. "Many might not like it and it is only natural."
"Obviously, attempts to split and dissociate our society, to speculate in certain difficulties, to find a weak link have failed to yield expected results, i.e. results expected by those who imposed and keep on supporting restrictive measures against our country," Putin said. "Citizens and key political forces in the country, as well as businesses clearly see what is going on and know what is to be done."
Putin noted that the prompt measures had made it possible to stabilize the situation in the economy, in the financial sphere and on the labour market. "All strategically important economic sectors are functioning stably, major state programs, including those in the social sphere, continue to be implemented. Moreover, our companies, domestic manufacturers have proved that they are capable of developing in the rigid conditions, of finding new partners, developing both domestic and foreign markets," the president said, citing as an example the performance of Russia’s agrarian sector.