MOSCOW, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says western countries are deceitful and break promises in dealing with the former Soviet Union.
In a report Monday by RIA Novosti, Putin cited an example, in which officials said there would be no NATO missile defense systems in Poland.
"But it was suddenly announced that the same [missile defense system deployment] was planned for other European countries," Putin said.
Putin's comments were made in an interview in the Russian newspaper Kommersant, and he referred to a speech he gave at the 2007 Munich Security Conference in which he characterized western countries as being obstructive in normalizing relations with Russia.
Putin said he believes, however, that the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama is being forthright with Russia, and he believes Obama wants to improve relations.
"I would like to see whether he will manage or not," Putin said. "But he wants to. I have an instinct that this is his sincere position."
Still, Putin said he was correct in his 2007 address.
"All that I spoke about in Munich is relevant today," Putin said in the report.
