ST. PETERSBURG, June 20. /TASS/. Russia has always respected Ukraine’s right to sovereignty and independence, but its own declaration of independence says that it is a neutral, off-bloc, and non-nuclear state, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
"Naturally, there are people, and there are quite a lot of them in the neighboring country, who want to ensure their sovereignty and independence, well, God bless them. By the way, we have never challenged the Ukrainian people’s right to independence and sovereignty. At the same time, we note that the basics of Ukraine independence and sovereignty were committed to paper in the Ukrainian declaration of independence of 1991, which says it straight that Ukraine is an off-bloc, non-nuclear, and neutral state," Putin told the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
"The right thing would be to come back to these fundamental values at the core of Ukraine’s independence and sovereignty," he noted.
The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) is taking place on June 18-21. This year, the event is held under the theme "Shared Values: The Foundation of Growth in a Multipolar World." The program includes the SME Forum, the Creative Industries Forum, the Day of the Future International Youth Economic Forum, the Drug Security Forum, and the Roscongress Urban Hub discussion platform. The Roscongress Foundation is the organizer of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. TASS is its information partner.