MOSCOW. July 21 (Interfax) - The Kremlin sees that people's views in Europe on the events in Ukraine are changing, and people in Europe understand that continuing support for Ukraine leads to a dead-end, President Vladimir Putin said.
"We see that public opinion in Europe is changing. Both Europeans and representatives of the European elites see that this so-called support for Ukraine is, in fact, a dead-end, that it is just an endless waste of money and energy, that, in fact, it is about serving the interests of the overseas global hegemon, interests that are alien and far from those of Europe," Putin said at a meeting with the members of the Russian Security Council on Friday.
"Both the weakening of Europe and the constant dragging-out of the Ukrainian conflict benefit" the United States, Putin said.
"Judging by what is happening in real life, this is what the current ruling elites of the U.S. are doing. In any case, this is the logic that guides their actions," he said.
"It is a big question whether this policy meets the true, core interests of the American people. Of course, this is a rhetorical question. Let them decide it themselves. However, the fire of war is being fanned intensively today, also using to this end the ambitions of the leaders of certain East European states, which long ago turned their hatred toward Russia into their main export and into an instrument of their domestic policy," Putin said.