Russia is not afraid of heightened international tensions due to escalation from Western countries but doubts whether Western states themselves are ready for it, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a press conference following the BRICS summit in Kazan. 

"We are not the ones escalating; those on the other side are always pushing for escalation. We are ready for this escalation. Think about whether the countries engaging in this are ready," Putin noted. 

He added that some fear the worsening of the international situation related to escalation in various conflict zones - in the Middle East and Ukraine. 

The Russian president accused Western countries of neocolonialism, primarily towards African countries. 

"I believe these are tools of neocolonialism, when they suppress these countries, forcing them to depend again on Western technologies. They give loans, but on terrible conditions, loans that are impossible to repay - this is another tool of neocolonialism," Putin said.





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