ST. PETERSBURG — Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that if U.S. President Barack Obama wants to judge him, he needs to change professions.
"If Obama wants to judge people, why doesn't he get get a job at a courthouse," Putin told a laughing crowd in his keynote speech to the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
Putin said that the effort to improve U.S.-Russian Relations, launched under his predecessor Dmitry Medvedev in 2009, failed entirely through the fault of the U.S.
"We did not spoil these relations," Putin said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
