MOSCOW — Vladimir Putin says Russia doesn't want to fight anyone but is warning against what he sees as foreign attempts to impede the country's development.

The Russian president's remarks on Saturday to a trade union congress in the resort city of Sochi came as officials from Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany tried to develop a new initiative for ending the fighting in eastern Ukraine. The Ukraine crisis, which Moscow contends was sparked by Western manipulation, has brought punishing economic sanctions against Russia.

Putin said, "We don't intend to war with anyone. We intend to cooperate with all."

But he complained of "attempts to hold back our development by various means."