I repeat that, in my opinion, the European Commission and the leading European economies are acting very pragmatically and are on the right path.

Russia should be competitive, be able to protect its own interests and influence the processes that are important to it.

Even if states sometimes have problems with each other, arts and sports should not suffer from that. Arts and sports are there to bring the people together - and not to divide them.

How long has it taken the democratic process to develop in the United States? Since it was founded. So, do you think that as regards democracy everything is settled now in America? If this were so, there would be no Ferguson issue, right? There would be no other issues of similar kind, there would be no police abuse. Our goal is to see all these issues and respond to them timely and properly. The same applies to Russia. We also have a lot of problems.

I will not meddle in America's internal political squabbles.

A policy of expansionism and conquest has no future in the modern world.

Nobody and nothing will stop Russia on the road to strengthening democracy and ensuring human rights and freedoms.