Putin Lashes Out at Foreign Meddlers

Vladimir Putin threatened to stonewall a key defense treaty if the U.S. doesn't back down on anti-missile bases in Eastern Europe, and lashed out against "foreign meddlers" in Russian politics. In his annual speech to parliament, Putin also repeated his pledge to stand down when his term ends next year, the BBC reports.

"Not everyone likes the stable, gradual rise of our country. There are some who are using the democratic ideology to interfere in our internal affairs," the Russian president said, describing the objectionable influx of foreign money—some of it donated to pro-democracy groups.

(More Vladimir Putin stories.)