Relations between us have passed through different stages. We stood
against each other during the cold war. But we were also allies once,
and defeated the Nazis together. The universal international
organization — the United Nations — was then established to prevent such
devastation from ever happening again.
Vladimir Putin: A plea for caution from Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin thought that Syria is not witnessing a battle for democracy, but an armed conflict between government and opposition in a multireligious country.
Recent events surrounding Syria have prompted me to speak directly to the American people and their political leaders. It is important to do so at a time of insufficient communication between our societies.
