President Vladimir Putin said the United States is probably the world's sole superpower, but Russia won't accept U.S. interference in its domestic affairs.
"America is a great power -- today probably the only superpower. We accept that," Putin said on June 17 at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, adding that Russia "wants to and is ready to work with the United States."
Putin reiterated criticism of what he said was the misguided role of the United States in Ukraine's affairs, and said he opposed what he cast as U.S. efforts to prevent Russia repairing its relations with the European Union.
He argued that, while the U.S. business suffered little damage from U.S. and EU sanctions against Russia, the damage to Europe was far greater.
The sanctions followed Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in March 2014 and its backing for separatists in the country’s east.