Russian President Vladimir Putin has blamed the West for actions which remind him of the Cold War era.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has blamed the West for actions which remind him of the Cold War era.

He said in an interview with the German television channel ARD in Vladivostok on November 13 that the West spoke about political and economic rapprochement with Russia but built new dividing lines instead.

"See, you mentioned 2001 and I said that my perspective was rather optimistic. We have witnessed two waves of NATO expansion since 2001… Furthermore, the number of military bases is growing. Does Russia have military bases around the world? NATO and the United States have military bases scattered all over the globe, including in areas close to our borders, and their number is growing," the Russian president said.

"Moreover, just recently it was decided to deploy Special Operations Forces, again in close proximity to our borders," he continued.

"You have mentioned various exercises, flights, ship movements, and so on. Is all of this going on? Yes, it is indeed," he said.

"In reality the economy follows almost the same path as security. We preach the opposite of what we practice. We say that a single space should be built and build new dividing lines instead," the president said, referring to the association deal between the European Union and Ukraine.

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