SOCHI, October 5. /TASS/. Certain Western elites always need an enemy to explain the need of the use of force and expansion by the struggle against it, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a plenary session of the Valdai International Discussion Club on Thursday.

"It is obvious that the commitment to bloc-based approaches and the desire to drive the world into a state of constant 'we versus them' confrontation are a vicious legacy of the 20th century, a product of Western political culture and its most aggressive manifestations. The West and a certain part of its elites always need an enemy. They need an enemy to explain the need of the use of force and expansion by the struggle against it," the Russian leader said.

This is also necessary to retain internal control in the hegemon’s system and inside political alliances, he said.

"Given the presence of an enemy, all must rally around the 'boss,'" Putin said.