VLADIVOSTOK (Sputnik) — Former Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov, a Middle East expert, guided by his experience and intuition, foresaw the consequences of the Arab Spring, but Russia could not do anything to influence the course of events at the time, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised interview on Sunday.
"Of course, relying on his knowledge of the region, especially the Middle East, and based on his experience and intuition, he [Primakov] could foresee a lot, and he foresaw the negative consequences of the future so-called Arab Spring. I am sure that, if he was listened to, then perhaps there would be no such developments," Putin told an NTV show.
The President noted that at the time, Russia’s possibilities were limited, saying "we [Moscow] could not directly, in practical terms affect the development of events."
"Especially as the key players in the international arena have preferred to not rely on rules of international law, and have based their actions on their geopolitical interests and aims, putting them at the heart of their practice in the international arena," the Russian president elaborated.
Primakov, who served as Russia's prime minister in 1998-1999, passed away last year.
