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MOSCOW Timofey Mozgov Magic Jersey , Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent remarks at an annual press conference showed that his country will stick to a tough stance in protecting its national interests, in defiance of mounting external political pressure and Western sanctions.


During his 10th year-end press conference, Putin reiterated Russia's hardline foreign policy and the urgent need to restructure the Russian economy.


It is also for sure that Russia will continue steadily intensifying its military strength and national defense to safeguard the country out of the current predicament.


"BESIEGED BEAR"


Russia was besieged by a "smokeless war" with the West because of the country's alleged role in escalation of the Ukraine crisis, which resulted in rounds of sanctions on Moscow slapped by Washington and its European allies.


Under the shock chilling of relations with Western countries, Russia turns to the East, especially the Asia-Pacific region.


While reiterating that curtailing cooperation with Europe and the United States would never be an option Terrence Ross Magic Jersey , Russia has cemented its ties this year with such countries as China, India, Turkey, Iran, Vietnam, South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Shaquille O'Neal Magic Jersey , with a range of major agreements being signed.


Putin also stressed that Moscow will restore and broaden traditional ties "with the south of the American continent and will continue cooperation with Africa and Middle Eastern countries."


Meanwhile, Russia showed its hardline stance by dropping the South Stream gas pipeline project with Europe and implementing anti-sanction measures, such as import ban on agricultural and food products from related countries.


Russian experts believe that further sanctions are likely to be imposed by the West against Russia, while indirect military confrontations are also possible, especially on Ukrainian territories between Russian and NATO troops.


"Russia is absolutely not interested in any kind of confrontation," said Sergei Markov Penny Hardaway Magic Jersey , director of Institute for Political Research.


However, he noted, the country has to defend itself against the West's undisguised attempts to overthrow its current regime through the geopolitical crisis in Ukraine.


Timofei Bordachev, director of Center for European Studies at High School of Economics, a Russian influential think-tank, said that although Putin repeatedly highlighted the desire to improve relations with the West Nikola Vucevic Magic Jersey , the president knows clearly that compromise should not be made at the cost of Russia's national interests.