Putin mocks European leaders for being totally dependent on US

Russian state television showed a clip on Sunday of Russian President Vladimir Putin mocking European politicians, whom he described as being totally dependent on the United States.

"If they are told tomorrow: 'We have decided to hang you all!' they will ask only one question, with their eyes down in surprise from their boldness: 'Can we do this with the help of domestically made ropes?" Putin said, as cited by the state news agency TASS.

"And this will be another bust for them, sorry. I think it will be a fiasco for them because the Americans are highly unlikely to refuse ... such a large contract for their textile industry," Putin added.