Vladivostok. September 1. INTERFAX - The twenty-year US presence in Afghanistan has turned into a zero, if not a negative result, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"For twenty years, American troops were present on this territory and for twenty years they tried, without offending anyone, to civilize the people who live there, to introduce their own norms and standards of life in the broadest sense of the word, including the political organization of society," he said at a meeting with students of the school of the All - Russian children's center "Ocean".
"The result is some tragedies, some losses for those who did it - for the United States, and even more so for those people who live on the territory of Afghanistan. The result is zero, if not to say that everything went into the negative, " Putin continued.
According to him, "if someone does something about someone, then he should proceed from the history, culture, philosophy of life of these people in the broadest sense, should approach their traditions with respect."
Putin stressed that " it is impossible to impose anything from the outside."
"The situation must mature, and if someone wants it to mature faster, better, we need to help people," the president said.
At the same time, he noted that "it is necessary to help in a civilized way, carefully and slowly."
