MOSCOW, October 1. /TASS/. Western nations – representing a minority – continue to seek to arrogate governance functions to themselves, for instance within the UN, thereby creating an increasing imbalance. However, the West's actual influence in the world is visibly declining today, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted at a plenary session of the Valdai Discussion Club.

He pointed out that a group of Western countries currently enjoys disproportionately large influence within the UN.

"This group, while clearly a global minority, seeks to arrogate governance functions to itself," the Russian leader observed. "As the real influence of these states wanes – giving way to an increasingly independent and self-confident global majority – the imbalances in the UN's structure are becoming ever starker."