Milan, 17 December (LaPresse) – According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the West believed it could destroy Russia in a short time. ‘And the Europeans, like little pigs, immediately joined in this work of the American administration, hoping to profit from the collapse of our country,’ Putin said during a long meeting of the Russian Defence Ministry's board of directors, referring to the administration led by Joe Biden. This was reported by Russian media. ‘The previous administration (of the United States, ed.) deliberately brought the issue to armed conflict,’ Putin added, while ‘Trump says that if he had been president then, nothing like this would have happened. Perhaps that is true.’