Putin Says US Is Hardly The ‘Superpower’ It Used to Be

“The United States, which at some point absolutely dominated, can hardly claim to be exclusive," Putin told the Valdai Discussion Club, a Moscow-based think tank, via video-link on Thursday.

"The times when all the most important international questions were discussed and solved effectively between Washington and Moscow have passed," Putin added.

China and Germany were advancing in the direction of becoming superpowers of their own, he noted, citing significant increase in their economic and political clout.

Putin also named the UK and France as two other countries, whose role “in international affairs has noticeably changed.”

Notwithstanding the changes that were happening to the balance of power across the world, the Russian president warned those awaiting Russia to bow out of the ranks of influential and powerful states, jibing, “Our main concern is not to get sick at your funeral."