The six principles of international relations laid out by Russian President Vladimir Putin are acceptable to everyone, but Russia and the West do not understand them the same way, experts told Sputnik.
"The 6 principles presented by Vladimir Putin are acceptable by all … Who could oppose such principles? The problem though is that the three players on the Western side: the United States, the Europeans and [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky, are completely paralyzed by their initial error, when they refused to even talk to Russia," Thierry Mariani, an European Union lawmaker from France, said.
French academic and geopolitical analyst Nicola Mirkovic observed that the West fails to live up to the principles presented by the Russian president, noting the division between the EU's population and leadership, notably on issues such as when the Europeans' attempts to defend their national identity and culture spark criticism in Brussels, as well as the United States. He also pointed to differences in the perception of the wars in Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan.
"In reality, Russia and the West could agree on these principles, but interpretations diverge, and the West persists in granting good and bad points in the world, imposing sanctions on countries in the four corners of the planet in the name of Good," Mirkovic concluded.
The Valdai Discussion Club meeting took place in the Russian city of Sochi from Monday to Thursday. Putin has traditionally addressed the participants at every meeting since the establishment of the club in 2004 and responded to their questions.