Putin and Russia

Ukraine: Speaking at a major economic forum, Putin also insisted that Russia wants February Ukraine peace agreement to succeed, according to The Moscow Times. Fighting there will stop, he said, once Ukraine provides broader rights to its eastern regions, gives amnesty to the rebels and calls local elections there. Putin blamed the United States for ignoring Russia interests and trying to enforce its will on others, but he also sent conciliatory signals, saying that Moscow wants a quick settlement to the Iranian nuclear standoff and a peaceful political transition in Syria. The annual event, intended to burnish Russia image before global investors, was tarnished by the freezing of Russian accounts in France and Belgium on Thursday as part of an effort to enforce a $50 billion judgment to compensate shareholders of the now-defunct Yukos oil company. Putin argued that the arbitration court in The Hague, Netherlands, which issued the ruling last year, does not have jurisdiction over Russia. At a meeting with top executives of global news agencies, including The Associated Press, which began nearly three hours behind schedule at around midnight, Putin sought to downplay the freeze and said that Russia will contest it. (news.financializer.com). As reported in the news.