Russian President Vladimir Putin called the West an "Empire of Lies" as he discussed the economy with top officials on Monday following the imposition of sweeping sanctions against Moscow, the Kremlin said.
"(Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin) and I discussed this topic, naturally bearing in mind the sanctions that the so-called Western community - as I called it in my speech, the 'empire of lies' - is now trying to implement against our country," a transcript of the meeting quoted Putin as saying.