Putin says Russia must diversify currencies it uses in international trade

[September 12, 2018]  VLADIVOSTOK, Russia (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Moscow needed to diversify the foreign currencies it used in international trade and not solely rely on the U.S. dollar for such transactions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a session of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia September 12, 2018. Sergei Bobylyov/TASS Host Photo Agency/Pool via REUTERS

The Russian central bank has been increasing the share of gold and Chinese yuan in its coffers amid risks of more U.S. sanctions that could target Russia's ability to trade globally.

(Reporting by Denis Pinchuk, Polina Nikolskaya and Vladimir Soldatkin; Writing by Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber; Editing by Andrew Osborn)

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