Putin derides liberalism as ‘obsolete’ ahead of G20 summit
Russian President Vladimir Putin has denounced liberalism as “obsolete” in the run-up to the annual summit of the Group of 20 ( G20 ) nations in Osaka, Japan . In a wide-ranging interview with the Financial Times overnight on Thursday, Putin trumpeted the rise of populist movements in Europe and the United States and said Russia’s Western partners had “ admitted that some elements of the liberal idea, such as multiculturalism, are no longer tenable”. “The so-called liberal idea … has outlived its purpose,” Putin said. “ It has come into conflict with the interests of the overwhelming majority of the population.” He described German Chancellor Angela Merkel ‘s decision to allow more than one million refugees into Germany as a “cardinal mistake”. The Russian president heaped praise on his American counterpart, Donald Trump , calling him a “talented person” before lauding the US leader for his efforts to stem the number of migrants entering the country from neighbouring Mexico