Putin offers Europe talks And defends asset controls

Oct 1

Lorenzo Maria Pacini asks how Europe and Russia might reopen dialogue and whether Italy can belong to the Greater Eurasian Partnership. Putin says he already considers Italy part of that partnership and treats EU membership as Italy’s choice. He offers dialogue with the EU or individual countries without preliminary conditions, adding that Europe must impose none either, and criticizes European economic policy. In a connected follow-up, Lukyanov asks about foreign-owned assets in Russia. Putin distinguishes external Russian administration from confiscation, describes the measures as reciprocal protection and says owners could recover management if relations improve. His characterization of asset measures is retained as his position; the passage does not establish a particular completed return of property or a new negotiated opening with Europe.

At the October 1 Valdai session, Roger Köppel asks Putin why Nestlé is subjected to forced administration despite continuing to supply food in Russia. In Köppel’s firsthand account, Putin calls the measures reciprocal responses to sanctions and distinguishes administration from expropriation. Köppel also relays Putin contrasting those measures with European plans to transfer frozen Russian state money to Ukraine for reconstruction. This records Putin’s explanation and Köppel’s account, not an independent finding about legal ownership or a newly announced takeover. Putin characterizes Russian management of foreign-owned assets as reciprocal external administration rather than confiscation and says management could be returned if relations improve. In Köppel’s Swiss-company follow-up he reiterates the general policy while explicitly not recalling the Nestlé details. His legal characterization remains attributed; no particular transfer or property return is established.