The Times was the only British newspaper to speak to Vladimir Putin inside his country retreat. He told Bronwen Maddox that he is willing to aim missiles at Europe

On the return of a global arms race:

“It is obvious that if part of the strategic nuclear potential of the US is located in Europe and will be threatening us, we will have to respond."

”We cannot be responsible for our reciprocal steps because it is not us who are initiating an arms race in Europe.”

It’s Grrrrr8 (honest)

As the G8 summit begins in Germany, Hugo Rifkind explains everything you need to know – and lots of stuff you don’t

Multimedia

• Video: Our young man in Heiligendamm

• Audio: Behind the scenes at the G8

• Pictures: G8 summit

BACKGROUND

• Quotes: what Putin told The Times

• Blair reinvented the Middle Ages

• The West is starting this Cold War

• Save the planet: give to China

Related Internet Links

• Official site of the G8 summit Heiligendamm

Related Links

• Putin raises spectre of nuclear war in Europe

• Putin: I’m the only absolute democrat left

• Menace from Moscow

“This system of missile defence on one side and the absence of this system on the other . . . increases the possibility of unleashing a nuclear conflict.”

"Of course, we are returning to that time [when Russian missiles were aimed at Europe]."

On US suggestion that Iranian and North Korean missiles necessitated the defence system:

“There are no such missiles – Iran does not have missiles with the range”.

“[The defence system would be] installed for the protection from something that does not exist. Is it not sort of funny? It would be funny if it were not so sad.”

“[The US’s real motive is] to avoid further closeness of Russia and Europe”.

On Russian military activity:

“We will need to establish such systems which would be able to penetrate the [US] missile defence systems. . . What kind of means will be used to hit the targets that our military believe are potential threats – ballistic missiles, or cruise missiles, or some kind of new weapons system?"

“We have brought all our heavy weapons beyond the Urals and reduced our military forces by 300,000. But what do we have in return? We see that Eastern Europe is being filled with new equipment, two positions in Bulgaria and Romania, as well as radar in the Czech Republic, and missile systems in Poland. What is happening? Unilateral disarmament of Russia is happening.”

On the case of poisoned Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko:

"[If heads of British law enforcement agencies] did not know that the constitution prohibits the extradition of Russian citizens to foreign states then their competence is questionable. . .[it is]. . .only a political, public relations step.”

“No matter from what angle we look at this problem, it’s all stupid, stupid nonsense.”

“I will not see any single positive component. It’s complete nonsense.”

On British Prime Ministers present and future:

He praised the “cordial reception” that Tony Blair had given him, and called Gordon Brown, “a high-class specialist”.

On being a democrat:

“I am not President of the Russian Federation to bring our country to the brink of catastrophe, on the contrary.”

“Of course, I am a pure and absolute democrat.”

“But you know what the problem is – not a problem, a real tragedy – that I am alone. There are no such pure democrats in the world. Since Mahatma Gandhi, there has been no one.”

On supplying energy to Eastern Europe:

“For 15 years we have been subsidising the former Soviet Republic with cheap energy. What is the logic?”

On civil liberties:

“Let us not be hypocritical on human rights and democratic freedoms.”

“Let us look what is happening in North America. It is horrible – torture, the homeless, Guantanamo, detention without normal court proceedings.”

“[In Europe] we can see violence against demonstrators, the use of gas to disperse rallies.”

“If people want to express disagreement, they should have that right. But they should not impede people going to work, normal urban life – then the Government must take measures to restore order.”

On the exploration licence which had been granted to Shell:

“Did you see the initial agreement? It was a colonial agreement that had nothing in the interests of the Russian Federation. A real zero.”

“If our partners [Shell] had honoured their commitments then we would have had no chance of remedying the situation but it was their fault that they violated our environmental legislation.”

On BP’s venture in Russia, which is awaiting £10 billion licence decision:

“They have not met their commitments. They knew about the possible difficulties and they decided to buy the licence anyway.”

On what he will do after stepping down as Russian President in March:

“I know that I will be working. But where, I cannot say.”

“I have not reached my retirement age and it would be silly to sit at home without doing anything.”

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