VLADIVOSTOK (Sputnik) – These principles should be transparent, uniformly understood and supervised, he stressed.
"It is essential for future development to build relations of the so-called geopolitical struggle. The fight is inevitable and it is normal. It is only necessary to conduct it in compliance with the civilized rules," Putin stated in the film by Russian TV presenter Vladimir Solovyov that was broadcast on Rossiya-1 television channel.
Following the reunification of Crimea with Russia in 2014 and the escalation of the Ukrainian crisis later that year, Russia's relations with the West began experiencing heightened geopolitical tensions. The United States, the European Union and their allies accused Moscow of interfering in Ukraine's internal affairs, the allegations that Russia has repeatedly denied.