SOCHI, November 7. /TASS/. Russia still has to deal with some tragic consequences of the Soviet Union’s foreign policy of the mid-1980s, President Vladimir Putin said at the plenary session of the Valdai International Discussion Club’s annual meeting.

He pointed out that in the middle of the 1980s, the Soviet Union had called for ending ideological confrontation, overcoming the legacy of the Cold War, and removing the barriers preventing common integration and universal development.

"We do have a complicated attitude to that era, given what the policy of the then-Soviet political leadership led to. We still have to deal with some tragic consequences," Putin pointed out.

According to him, since the middle of the past century, when Nazism was defeated through enormous efforts, humanity has been on a mission to prevent this from happening again. A common vector was found back then despite "local clashes," which was based on the absolute rejection of all forms of racism, the destruction of the classical colonial system and the expansion of full-fledged players of international politics.

"Some countries and regions are quickly developing; new technological, social and economic approaches are emerging aimed at expanding opportunities for development and prosperity. Of course, just like any historical process, it created a conflict of interests but the common desire to harmonize the process in all of its aspects greatly contributed to strengthening this trend," Putin stressed.

The president also said that such an approach stemmed from the then-Russian authorities’ pursuit of peace and common good.