India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor Project Will Benefit Russia: Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday said he sees nothing in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) that can hinder Russia and that the project according to him benefits Russia, TASS reported.

The United States jumped into the “last car” by agreeing with the European Union, Saudi Arabia and India on the creation of a new economic corridor but the project itself is for the benefit of Russia, Putin said while speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) as cited by the Russian news agency TASS.

The Russian President said that the IMEC would help his country develop logistics and added that the project had been under discussion for several years.

His remarks came after India, the US, UAE, Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, Italy and the European Union on Saturday on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor.

Speaking at the 8th Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in the Russian port town of Vladivostok, Putin said, "I believe that this will only benefit us. I believe that this will only help us develop logistics. Firstly, this project has been discussed for a long time, for several years."

"True, the Americans jumped on this train at the last moment. But for them, I don't see much point in being in this project. Only, perhaps, from the point of view of business interest. Meanwhile, the additional movement of goods along this corridor is, in fact, an addition to our North-South project. We have nothing here we see something that could somehow hinder us,” he added

Putin was referring to the International North-South Transport Corridor which seeks to link Russia to India's western ports in the Arabian Sea via Iran. 

Meanwhile speaking at the EEF Forum, Putin also said that the US prosecution of former President Donald Trump, who is seeking re-election, showcases the "rottenness" of the American system and constitutes an unfair political campaign, Russia-based TASS reported. 

Addressing the plenary meeting of the Eastern Economic Forum, Putin said, "For us, what is happening [in the United States], in today's conditions, in my opinion, is good,” Putin said.

Putin said “It shows the rottenness of the American political system, which cannot pretend to teach others about democracy," TASS reported. 

Putin said that everything that is happening with former US President Donald Trump is "persecution of his political reasons, that's what it is." 

Putin said, “Everything that is happening with Trump is persecution of his political rival for political reasons, that's what it is. And this is being done in front of the public of the United States and the whole world. They simply exposed their internal problems," according to TASS report. 

“In this sense, if they are trying to fight us in some way, it's good, because it shows who is fighting us. It shows, as they said back in Soviet times, “the bestial appearance of American imperialism, the bestial grin,” he added, according to TASS. 

Putin said that he believes that the elections in the US in 2024 will not impact Washington's attitude towards Russia. He said that the US pressurises its allies and partners. He said that the US has no friends and has only its interests. 

While speaking about the US policy at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum, “They crush their allies, their partners, they have no friends, they only have interests. This is a continuation of the well-known British formula."

Earlier in August, a federal judge ruled that the federal criminal trial of former US President Donald Trump on charges he sought to subvert the result of the 2020 presidential election will begin on March 4, 2024, CNN reported.

Trump will go to trial on March 4, 2024, on charges alleging he worked to overturn the 2020 presidential election, federal Judge Tanya Chutkan announced. The set date for trial comes just a day before Tuesday, when voters in over a dozen states, including California and Texas will go to the polls.

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