Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the annual meeting of Moscow-based thinktank Valdai Club in Sochi on Thursday – as the US continues to consider the possibility of sharing long-range missiles and intelligence with Ukraine.
During a wide-ranging address that lasted well over an hour, Putin described the militarization of Europe as “dangerous.”
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“I think no one doubts that such measures will force Russia to act, and Russia’s countermeasures will not be long in coming. It seems that the response to these threats will be, to put it mildly, very convincing,” Putin said, citing German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s pledge to build the strongest army in Europe as an example.
After his speech, an audience member asked him about reports that the US is reportedly considering sharing long-range Tomahawk missiles with Ukraine.
“This would mean a whole new level of escalation, including in relations between Russia and the United States,” Putin replied, as per AFP.
According to Russian state media, the Russian president walked a fine line between flattering US President Donald Trump and challenging his recent decisions during his address – claiming that Russia “strives for a full restoration of relations” with the US and expressing support for Trump’s recently proposed Gaza peace plan.
He also repeated Trump’s longtime assertion that Russia would not have launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine had he been in power rather than Biden.
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Maj Gen Tedman’s warning came after German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said last month that Russia had been stalking satellites used by the German military.
On the other hand, Putin couldn’t resist a jab at Trump’s recent Truth Social post, in which he suggested that Ukraine may be able to regain control over its entire territory and mocked Russia for failing in its military objectives. “Try to deal with the paper tiger,” responded Putin.
He also commented on Trump’s recent decision to rechristen the US Department of Defense the Department of War, and ruled out a similar change at the Kremlin.
“As you name a ship, so it will sail,” he said.
He also appeared to contradict Trump’s criticism of the UN at its recent General Assembly in New York – noting that, despite “many problems” with the UN’s work, there is no better or more “representative” organization.
On Ukraine, Putin repeated several of the false claims he has made throughout Russia’s full-scale war. For example, that it could have been avoided had NATO “not moved closer to Russia’s borders.”
Characteristically, he blamed the “situation” in Ukraine on Europe, describing it as a way for them to expand their zone of influence and make a profit.
“Europe is constantly escalating the conflict in Ukraine; they have no other goals, Putin said.
Also on Thursday, the European Union failed to advance on plans to help fund Ukraine’s defense with profits from immobilized Russian assets.
Despite a series of recent airspace violations, the Russian president dismissed the idea of Russia attacking a NATO country as “impossible to believe.”
Another theme of his speech was multipolarity – Putin described the loose political and economic alignment of BRICS countries as “natural partners” despite South Africa’s warning that it will arrest him should he enter their jurisdiction.
As usual, Putin drew heavily on his interpretation of Russian and European history – quoting from a Pushkin poem about the Battle of Borodino and expressing his pride that the USSR played “a decisive role” in the victory over Nazism.
“Russia has always been, is, and will be,” he said.