Country were joyful about that. Many people do not share the goals of the group of people who. Ook over especially taking into account that the first steps the government took were to ofroduce the abandonment russian language and culture in the life of ukraine. At the same time, there are nationalistic forces they came to power at that time and insisted that the ukraine needs to be for ukrainians. Prohibitive in the ukraine. Finalou, in the proposals, i understand that the reason for this is not only and thesapproval European Partners of the ukraine and, hopefully, the United States, certainly made it known the values of a Democratic State would not support this. Governmentstablished sent a signal. Ukrainee parts of the are russianhat speakers. For them to speak their language and teach their children the language to maintain the culture that they have associated with is important. The were threatened to have ukrainepart of the rejecting everything. People in crimea and the east were not accepting the forceful overthrow the government. Trying tornment was impose on them the values they were not sharing. , i willpened in crimea remind you, there was a referendum where an absolute ority a total majority a majority of russian speakers and everybody in the ukraine is a russian speaker. Whether it is in the east or west. Historically, being part of this , they wanted to get the russian federation. If you want, at some point, to describe the history of the country, they voted for forpendence and voted requesting russia to except them as a partner. Russia did. Part, people did not ask for independence. Somewere talking about extended a dog may. Autonomy. Complained that they induced a National Wealth tinyal and get back only a portion of the money they earn for the country. Redistributione of what they produce in this part of the country. Autonomy tomore protect the ability of people to speak russian and run russian schools. Fromthey saw in response the newly established acute government was threats. Happening. Was they were threatened by force to they were called terrorists. That is difficult to understand. People are still in houses and were defending their way of life where they had lived. They were called terrorists the government and separatist. And wanted a time to meet it was negotiated between them and the government. Said to people is that and elsewhere we need an all inclusive dialogue in the country. The problem is, it was something that was included in the socalled agreement that was reached between the opposition and the previous president of the ukraine over the settlement of disputes. A peaceful summit. February 21 with European Countries, france, germany, signingwitnessing and the Draft Agreement on the plan to reach a political settlement. Things,ded, among other inclusive dialogue on the future of the country. It never happened. They never did it. Idea of National Dialogue included with the United States and europeans in geneva. It was april 17. It never happened. The dialogue was conducted on the future of the country. Force andhe use of the threat of force. Forces on those who did not agree with the government, the more they created volunteers to fight against them. People were protecting their way their land. That, togetherg with the cessation of violence that is important, it was almost achieved by two consecutive meetings and agreements. It was between the Ukrainian Government and the leadership of the opposing forces in eastern ukraine. And, the ceasefire, by and , except for aking theer of places where Ukrainian Armed forces still blame their own people bomb their own people and civilian populations. Even in the outrageous situation of october 1 with the school. Ear starting usually, and russia and the ukraine, the School Year Starts september 1 will stop it started october 1. At the moment of opening classes, they bombed a school. Luckily, they have not killed children will stop they killed teachers. And, it was done on the backdrop. F the agreement to cease is difficult to agree to what the opposing forces implemented. We are hopeful. We understand it will be difficult, especially after 3. 5 500 lives lost in the country and many others wounded. Many destroyed completely because the forces of the launch rocketsing systems against cities. Systems, or those who know something about military not knownes, they are to be designed to be precision oriented. Enormous services with destructive power. So, what is happening . Secure thisg to agreement and i am embarrassed that, today after the meeting inween our Foreign Ministers beis, they both seem to confirming the commitment that they see that the agreements in lamented and i am still hopeful are implemented. And i am still hopeful that we will move to more normalcy. It will certainly take a lot of time and a lot of effort to make the sides talk to each other and agree on how they want to live together. To decide. Hem not for the United States or for us. Having said so, i would like to address, once again, the russianamerican relations. We came from different positions for this issue. United states shows to chose to pressure. Pressure,n terms in terms of isolating russia in the international arena. Not workable. We hear less about isolating from thed more secretary of state about the need for russia and the United States to Work Together on the challenges that we face,. Ncluding isil also, economic treasure. Something that is discussed in the United States and russia. Do not like the idea of being under pressure. We run some difficulties and Economic Development because we are integrated now in the International Economic life. It is no longer the soviet union that was holding a set of economic instruments. It is a country that is why the integrated into the International Economic sphere. We have developed relations with the European Union and our regional trade is about 400 million 400 million a year. , your trade yours with the European Union is about 500 million a year billion dollars a year. Very much comparable. Time, the quality of economic relations with the United States is significantly less important and developed. Today, the figures i will give you for trade between the United States and russia was 38 billion both ways, according to the statistics. Billion, up 42 russian statistics. The statistics differ because people are trying to hide something. E count things differently our statistics include direct trade and yours included traded through third parties. 29, 39, itanother, is miniscule. It is less than 1 of the overall Foreign Trade of the United States. I river last year i remember last year. There was a drop of in trade by 2 . Has anybody noticed . Our trading is less than 1 of your trade. The United States did not appear moste 10 most economic important economic partners. Was greater than the United States. That, in turn, shows the overall relations between our countries have never achieved a level of real intertwined partnership. And there are a number of other. Mportant countries what i am suggesting is that, under the current pressure we see it applied, our trade this year does not seem to be dropping too much. Year,ght months of this there was a drop of half 1 billion. Monthscompare with eight of 2013, there are real business is still interested in working in the markets with each other. That is certainly good. I have spoken with a number of American Companies who are very successful and are willing to continue to be successful. We have a number of Success Stories here and a number of Russian Companies have invested in the United States. We have one company, to name a few one is enormously successful. Business inmakes providing you with the best industrial tubes in the world ,hat are used for Shale Gas Shale Oil production, and helping you to compete with us in the oil market. Before they joined the american market, they were number three or four. Now, they are number one. We have political difficulties. Greater andhey are sometimes, less so. At the same time, there are a lot of interests and the rest of the world. Or, in relations between countries that can and should bring countries and Business People together. Something we want to happen, we believe that political to the coal these should not make businesses hostages. We believe that russia and the , ifed states can do a lot we Work Together and not against each other. At the same time, we are ready the basis of equality and Mutual Respect of interest. Certainly, significantly more positive ways of addressing concerns. Missingg that is still in relations. At the same time, talking of sanctions, i would be remiss if i did not tell you that certain sanctions do not help. If you listen to the debates among russian economic ministers , of russian Business People course sanctions do make financial borrowing for investment more difficult. The United States is not the only place where money can be found. We also have money and our country and we also have a number of partners who trade with you. Who some countries in asia are interested in russian markets and are looking for opportunities in the market where there are voids of presence by Russian Companies what is the most important is that russia is part of the extended european space. Not formally defined. , prettyal terms economic desk solid economic standing. I brought some numbers that i found interesting and i will try to help you understand what russia is, economically, and what is not. For example, in 2014, the Economic Growth of pressure was very low under russian aspirations and standards. Prior, we had endured consecutive years the growth of 1 . The growth 0. 5 . To compare with france, significant Economic Modeling in borrowing in europe, 0. 4 . Germany, 1. 4 . Today, they report they run a risk of recession. Is a significant drop in gdp in germany. Side. Is on the negative spain is 1 . Unemployment in russia is 4. 8 . Compared with france. 10. 3 . Germany, 5 . Spain, 24 . I try to compare with countries with significant economic and what iseurope we run a is that it at 2. 5 preface for us this year. 4. 5 . Nce, it is minus it is only 1 in germany. Italy, minus 3 . In spain, 5 . Currencyke the reserve and the gold reserves, we enjoy 455ves today of about billion. France, 155th billion. 200 million. Italy, 150 billion. Spain, 42 billion. M suggesting that, he suggesting that, irrespective of microfficulties, russian Economic Development is pretty solid. Have any significant foreign debt. You, i think, the debttate th ssia is 10 of gdp. Try to remember how much you owe as a state. You compare with your gm. Gnp. In germany, 77 . All other European Countries are in a worse position on this issue because we have run Economic Development in a withrvative just conservative policies on the usage of budget outlays to promote the stability of the economy. Difficult challenges come, we are better prepared than a number of other countries. Also need to say that we levelt satisfied with the of our Economic Development, sanctions or not. Difficultiesggest that we are still haunted with is the curse of a country being so original with gas. It is something that provides and, atant components lacks theime, it incentives for others to develop industries. Been part of a program to diversify the economy and to build an economy that would be less dependent on that and more using Technological Capabilities that we enjoy. The abilities of russia are significant. What is still missing is the ability to put it to the market needs in an efficient way. That they approach are trying to do now. They are less successful than had been hoped previously. I would say, returning to assumptions, that there are difficulties that create opportunities. Because of the sanctions, there is a significant drought among Business People and neighbors andare in russian markets that is 150 billion people withillion people developed abilities to pay for the groups and the services they get. And, we are working in order to create incentives for companies that would be building our own products that we currently import. And economicrisis pressure that the United States and some europeans are in shows us that you cannot rely on current circumstances. The instrument of development is shaky because it appears to be vulnerable to political decisions. Also, and somewhat disappointing fashion, shows that the United States is asnificantly less reliable an economic partner to us than we had expected. Also, together with diversification of the economy, are working to diversify economic ties and we are working with asian countries. We are asian. People forget that. We are there. Economicignificant we wouldin asia and have, in doing this, irrespective of sanctions but under sanctions, we understand puttinghat working and more emphasis on developing economics with countries serves our longterm interest. That is not to say we want to abandon cool operation with the west. In no way. We are interested in developing it. Is ine learned that, it areas where economic interests seem to be bringing us together. Example, a wonderful project we locked with the u. S. And companies that developed oil was put at risk because of political reasons and his agreements. Case, we aree better served by diversifying capabilitiesore on that exist in russia. We walked him. So, that is where we are. We are backate if in the cold war, i would hope not. We inassure you that moscow are not interested in another addition of the cold war. We want normalcy restored in the relations will stop based on Mutual Respect and partnership. Be open for questions and answers. Thank you. [applause] you wek thank you for the positive view of russia today. We certainly share your interests and longterm bonding between the states. The floor is open for questions and there are microphones on both sides. You toldime ago, george bush that the was not even a nation. Is that still the position . I would like you to elaborate. I am not sure that i can confirm the quote you are referring to. And, what is important to a nationd is, what means. Of course the ukraine is a nation. We have a you lot we have a lot of ukrainians. Historically, the ukraine developed in a difficult way because, as a country with its rent foundries that exists , it has tothat exist do with the composition of the soviet union. It was part of the soviet union. Riordan to that, during hundreds the current ukraine was divided between the polish partnment and the eastern was largely part of the russian empire. Speaking the same language, they developed because theys eastern part is orthodox and the western part is a mix. Currently, what is happening in ae ukraine, they are forming wellestablished nation and we hope that they will do it in a peaceful way. Ok. The microphone on the left, please. To askme warn eveone sue saint questions assis succinct questions. [indiscernible] second, the breakup of had states recognized by russia. Kosovos membership to the United Nations. What principles are russia defending now . Taken by force and that was the big problem. There was very difficult history at this time. Kosovo was you have roots kosovo was part of serbia that the serbs considered to be holy. Anduse of the historical other natural processes, the grown andpeople has they felt they became the majority. They have a problem with the serbs and the serbs had a problem with them. And,e was a lot of afterwards, a Bombing Campaign. If you asked me whether the serbs did everything in the best way one can do it, i am not sure. War, i saw after the the devastation the Bombing Campaign brought. It was not selfdetermination. Forceful process of taking part of a country and that is how we see it. We have our american friends and others. We are not accepting the legality. The issue was brought to the court in the hague. Ae United States presented there isgesting that no international violation of law because International Law does not regulate the process of selfdetermination of peoples. The United States position that was laid out at the hague was significant and different from what we have seen so far afterwards. Professor will stop you have touched on a number of subjects. Would you describe for us the number and role of the Russian Troops in the ukraine has been in the recent months . Are no Russian Troops in the eastern ukraine. [laughter] you laugh at that. No matter whether you laugh at that, there are no troops in the eastern ukraine. [lau