Putin Urges Europe To Restore 'Military-Technical' Cooperation With Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called on European countries to restore what he described as "military-technical" cooperation with Russia.

Putin said on March 29 that the absence of such cooperation doesn't benefit either side.

He made the remarks during a meeting of the presidential commission on military-technical cooperation.

"Military-technical cooperation with European states has stopped almost entirely, and not by our initiative," Putin said, adding: "We hope, it's a temporary phenomenon."

Western governments have imposed sanctions on Russian companies and individuals over Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea and its role in the military conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Putin said restoring wide-ranging cooperation between Russia and Europe would be in the best interests of all sides and it "would definitely increase mutual trust."

Putin also said his country's arms exports totaled $14.5 billion last year, higher than originally planned.

According to Putin, the total portfolio of foreign orders for Russian arms has exceeded $56 billion.

With reporting by Interfax, TASS, and Reuters