Michael Dell Slapped Down By Putin At Davos: "We Don't Need Help. We Are Not Invalids" (VIDEO)

Fortune's Peter Gumbel reports that Michael Dell was slapped down by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin after offering Dell's help expanding IT in Russia.

"The trick is: we don't need any help," Putin shot back at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. "We are not invalids. We do not have limited capacity. People with limited capacities, abilities should be helped...developing countries should be helped."

Putin would go on to outline Russia's successes expanding IT infrastructure throughout the country and to praise Russian software engineering.

Gumbel writes that Putin's outburst is symptomatic of a Russian distaste towards offers to help from the west.

"Russia has been allergic to offers of aid from the West ever since hundreds of overpaid consultants arrived in Moscow after the collapse of Communism, in 1991, and proceeded to hand out an array of advice that proved, at times, useless or dangerous," he wrote.

Watch (video still of Putin's face as Dell offered help below):

Still:

Comments

[htd2009]

Putin's reaction aside (he was right to express himself) but would YOU BUY A RUSSIAN-MADE COMPUTER?

[iamvalid]

Dudeski, You're not getting a Dellski.
Right on Mr. Putin.

Only Americans are allowed to show pride,

[lackofoversight]

I bought a dell laptop model 8200 a few years back for close to $3000.00. It was so poorly made the laptop didn't sit flat on the desk... it wobbled. One month past the warranty the motherboard burned up. I tried to contact dell to see about repairs but customer service had been outsourced to southeast asia and no one was ever able to help me.. I gave up on that computer and I gave up on dell... I think my experience says something about the man who owns and runs the company.

[Americanium]

aaahhhhhhhhhhhhh ..The elevated American consultants...The know it all snobs who cannot run a road side kiosk but are sent abroad to give economic advice. Good for you Putin..

[coco51]

It's a damn shame when a Russian speaks the truth to an American isn't it. seriously Dell ought to help his own country AND few third world countries before he goes off to Russia.

But then Dell is looking to cash in a few million rubles.

[sector1463]

You need to look where Dell's computers come from. They are not made in the USA. So in a way he is helping those third world countries.

[wm1066]

Where is Dell going to get that many Indians that speak Russian?

[ConcernedAboutRFuture]

Vlad loves to keep his population poor and stupid. It's insurance to keep him in power.

[Discomustachio]

Our leaders do the same thing.

[PWM]

He did expand the Russian GNP greatly when he was president. As for education, they are in many ways ahead of the US.

[oregonbird]

Putin can't afford to laugh at offers of help. Not that he won't, or that he shouldn't, when they come from tech-impaired companies such as Dell. Be like asking for high-school dance security from Blackwater. However, Russia is in the same difficulty as the rest of the credit banking globe, and when his citizens get hungry enough, he'll either hurl them at us, or begin to put the working strategies into place.

Not to frighten anyone, but the Russian mind set and ego aren't based on 'play nicely', and throughout their history, they've made a habit of bringing only the veneer of solutions into the country, always from outside. They do not adapt well, is what I'm saying, and the solutions that come from within the country have always included war.

[MagisterLudi]

This is NOT an offer of help. This is a common selling hustle from a computer salesman. I don't see how Dell ended up at Davos.
Not to mention the fact that Putin himself can buy entire Dell company out of his expense account.

[jillbryant]

Dell is just speaking corporate speak. It's a very common way to say how can we work together. I have a feeling the translation is not that good. Putin went on to say he was looking for investments and partnerships.

I put this down to idiomatic language.

[MetalCanuck]

America is not represented there because a lot of countries are angry with them.

[Jackalheadedgod]

It is important to remember that Mr. Putin is at the center of power in Russia just as he was when it was the Soviet Union when he was a career KBG manager and ultimately its director, his communism unquestioned. His bias is naturally patriotic in a strong way we would expect of say, George H. W. Bush, former director of the CIA.

Russia is still transitioning into a nominally free and lawful society, but old ways die hard and a career secret policeman with a stern demeanor still resonates for many. Putin is certainly capable of executive decisions that can be distasteful to our sensitive natures, but his comments were spot on, and no one deserves it more that Dell. Dell stood in for our business community exhibiting all the tone deaf braggadocio you might expect at a frat house.

Cheers,
Jack

[CaptainHowdy]

Dell wants to "help" Russia?

LOL...

No, Dell wants to EXPLOIT Russia.

Putin was right to smack his arrogant a-s-s down.

[andyg]

Didn't Putin poison somebody who opposed him.

[CaptainHowdy]

As opposed to the convenient plane crashes that are preferred by US politicians to silence their enemies?

LOL!

[larry278]

Let's see-history has it that a UN Secretary General & a man named Lumumba died in plane crashes in or near the Congo after Belgium left. There is still some mystery about the crashes. It's said the UN Secretary Gen was a passanger in a DC 6 which may have been owned & operated by the UN.
Many nations, their air forces & air lines used the DC 6 & other Douglass commercial air craft. Before, during & after WW II Douglass supplied fighters, bombers & transports to the USA & the USA's allies.
There is still a mystery about how & why a Douglass made transport made before 1942 had crashed into a Japanese bay sometime before WW II ended. That plane is said to have had Japanese markings. That crashed plane was found by US forces after WW II.

[MetalCanuck]

While its wrong, compare that with bush.

[joebiz]

Dell wants to sell computers, Putin wants power. Big deal, both fat egos played their respective hands

[WIpatriot]

Oh, SNAP!