MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Putin needs someone to stand up to him, Uruguayan President says

“The key to stopping Russia will depend on the role adopted by the United States, the European Union, and China,” Lacalle explained

Uruguay's President Luis Lacalle Pou Thursday said that Russian leader Vladimir Putin was nostalgic about the USSR and stressed that neither Cuba nor Venezuela was key players in the ongoing armed conflict. Lacalle was also critical of the role the United States was playing, which was not that of a “counterweight”.

Lacalle described Putin as a “leader with tools not typical of a positive leader” and who considers armed conflict as “one more tool.” He also said Putin was “naturally a leader,” albeit with “tools not typical of a positive leader.”

The Uruguayan President made those remarks in an interview at a Punta del Este hotel during the Latin Annual Meeting, an event before 600 foreign businessmen.

“With the formation he has and where he comes from, he is trained in a certain way,” Lacalle told Argentine journalists Alfredo and Diego Leuco.

Lacalle also said the current situation was the result of Putin not having “a contender.”

“I don't believe in the bipolar world,” Lacalle explained. “Fortunately it faded away, but ... if you have a person who uses all the tools and has no counterweight it is very difficult,” Lacalle went on.

He also hinted it would not be wise for the world to allow Chinese President Xi Jinping to step in as a mediator in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Lacalle insisted that the key to stopping Russia will depend on the role adopted by the United States, the European Union, and China, and not Cuba or Venezuela. The latter two countries do have links with Russia but are not strong allies, the Uruguayan head of state pointed out.