Putin says Russia cannot be isolated

 

President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that it is not possible to isolate a country such as Russia and Western sanctions imposed on Moscow over its involvement in Ukraine disrupt the world economy.

Speaking to a group of Western journalists on the sidelines of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin said that sanctions are counterproductive for all sides involved.

"They lead the Russian, European, global economy to turbulence that no one is interested in," Putin said.

(Reporting by Paul Ingrassia and Alexei Anishckuk; Writing by Lidia Kelly, editing by Jason Bush)