Russian President Vladimir Putin said that he was going to attend the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, but changed his mind due to experts’ advice.
"Yes, I was invited, the US President Barack Obama invited me personally. Frankly speaking, basically, I did not mind going, but our experts in the nuclear activity sphere and in the Foreign Ministry advised me not to do this," the Russian president explained.
Putin told why the experts advised him not to attend the nuclear summit. "It became clear that it was a kind of home event, most likely American, but events of this kind are held on the basis of consensus and the possibility of taking part in the final decision-making," he noted.
The President said that the summit’s work was organized "within five groups." "We were offered to participate in only one, and, consequently, our experts could make their contribution to the final decision-making only in one sphere," TASS cited him as saying.
"Excuse me, but such a major nuclear power as Russia cannot participate in such events without being able to influence the final decision-making," the Russian president stressed.
