Putin says sees risk of global geopolitical tension escalation

ST. PETERSBURG, Jun 17 (PRIME) -- The global geopolitical tensions which arose because of economic uncertainty may escalate in the future, President Vladimir Putin said on Friday in a speech at the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

“The current geopolitical tensions are to a certain extent due to economic uncertainty, depletion of the previous growth drivers. There is a risk that they can escalate and even be provoked artificially,” Putin said.

The global economy still has structural problems, which cap future growth.

“After the 2008–2009 crisis, the financial balance could be harmonized, the problem of debt growth was limited though not overcame, cash flows were made more transparent and manageable,” he said.

“But structural problems that have accumulated in the global economy, persist. Economic growth cannot be restarted so far.”

End