Putin says Russia-US ties in 'deep crisis'

MOSCOW - Relations between Russia and the United States are experiencing "a deep crisis", Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday.

Putin commented on the state of Russia-US relations during a ceremony where the president received letters of credence from 17 newly-appointed ambassadors of foreign states.

"Relations between Russia and the United States... are going through a deep crisis," the president said, adding that this crisis was rooted in "fundamentally different approaches to the formation of the modern world order".

Putin noted that global security strongly depends on the relations between both countries, and that the United States is ultimately responsible for both the Ukrainian crisis and the deterioration of bilateral ties with Russia.

Putin said that Russia stands in favor of building relations with the United States if these are based on the principles of equality, respect for sovereignty, and non-interference in each other's internal affairs.

The Russian president further commented on Russia's strained relations with the European Union (EU).

He said that the EU no longer aimed to develop economic cooperation and promote integration on the European continent, but was currently focused on "initiating a geopolitical confrontation with Russia".

Putin expressed the hope that it would ultimately be possible to build relations with the EU, and that "the logic of mutual cooperation" would prevail.