By Staff, Agencies

President Vladimir Putin addressed the ongoing challenges posed by international sanctions and external pressures at the plenary session of the ruling United Russia party on Saturday.

“Russia is developing, the economy is growing. And this is against the backdrop of unprecedented sanctions, blunt interference, and pressure from the ruling elites of certain states,” Putin stated. He emphasized that “no blackmail or attempts from outside to hinder us will ever yield results.”

The United Russia congress is set to alter the party’s program and charter, as well as rotate its High and General Councils.

Russia will achieve all of its short and long-term objectives, Putin added.

Despite Western efforts, Russia remains strongly active in international trade. Some nations in the EU continue buying Russian-sourced energy, openly defying Brussels’ calls to divest, while others do so through intermediaries, according to researchers monitoring supplies.

Last month, Bloomberg warned that the latest round of US sanctions, which targeted Russia’s Gazprombank, threaten to cause an energy crisis in Western Europe.