MOSCOW, July 19. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin called the policy of Western ruling elites, who, in his opinion, have abused their monopoly on power, erroneous.

"In my opinion, the so-called ruling elites have usurped and abused their position and their monopoly on power," the head of state said during a meeting of the "Russia - a country of opportunities" non-profit observation council Tuesday.

Putin listened to the report of the Donbass Insider website editor-in-chief Kristel Nean on her work in Donbass. According to the Russian leader, people like her "carry out very important work not only in the interest of the people of Donbass, but in the interest of their own country as well."

"Because you try to show that the policy carried out by the ruling elites of these countries is erroneous and harms their own people," Putin explained.

The president asked when the reporter started working in Donbass and, upon discovering that she started in 2016, he asked if she saw that "the hostilities were already going on back then, that the war had already started." He pointed out that "the hostilities in Donbass started not in February of 2022, but much earlier - in 2014, 2015."

"The people in European countries and the United States that realize this, they definitely do not want such a development of events," the head of state added.

The president thanked the editor-in-chief for her work. "We will try to do everything to support you," Putin said.