MOSCOW - The financial crisis has irreparably damaged the image of the U.S. as the leader of the free world and the global economy, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Thursday.

Putin's remarks during a Communist Party meeting were the latest Russian attack singling out the U.S. as the chief culprit in the global financial turmoil.

"Trust in the United States as the leader of the free world and the free economy, and confidence in Wall Street as the center of that trust, has been damaged, I believe, forever," Putin said. "There will be no return to the previous situation."

Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev have repeatedly accused the U.S. of responsibility for the crisis and called for changes in the world financial system.

Finance ministers of the G-7 — the United States, Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Japan — meet beginning Friday in Washington. When Russia joins the group for political discussions, it becomes the G-8.

  Add comment

Name:
E-Mail:
Comment:
Enter code: