Speaking at the plenary session of the 23rd annual meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club, Vladimir Putin said that humanity has entered a decisive moment: the changes are large-scale and affect not only politics, but also technology, biology, and moral foundations. At the same time, he stressed that the world is not doomed to chaos — in the long run a more multipolar system should take shape, but for that all countries will have to agree on common principles. The immediate task is to prevent the most dangerous scenarios and to keep humanity from ending up on the brink of survival.
Crisis of international institutions
Putin noted that many structures created after the Second World War no longer reflect the modern balance of power. He dwelt separately on the UN: in his assessment, the organization is run less collegially and democratically than intended, although it remains the most representative. Russia favors its “fair reform,” but the key point is that such a step is possible only if consensus is reached within the UN itself, and that is now hard to achieve. The president proposed strengthening the role in the organization of the states of Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
On the actions of individual political players
Commenting on the behavior of some countries confident in their own exceptionalism, the president recalled the saying: “If you have strength, you don’t need brains.” In Putin’s view, that path leads nowhere good. He also pointed to dangerous trends: the systematic failure to honor commitments, the turning of negotiations into a propaganda tool, and the deliberate distortion of facts for short-term gain — all of this undermines the foundations of international relations.
On the conflict in Ukraine
Speaking about the current conflict in Ukraine, Putin once again stressed that Russia was not the initiator of the military confrontation: the conflict arose as a response to aggression against our country. Russia was deliberately placed in conditions in which the defense of national interests and security became possible only through the use of force.
The truth is that it was not we who wanted it, and not we who started the war — war was started against us. Russia was put in a situation in which it was forced, in response to aggression, to defend itself with arms in hand.
The head of state stressed that Moscow consistently favors a peaceful settlement and once again appealed to the West to build relations on the basis of mutual respect — in essence, he called for “living in peace.”
Continuing the theme, and speaking about security issues, Putin stated clearly: in the event of a direct attack on Russia, the question of using the entire arsenal of available weapons will arise immediately. The Foreign Ministry’s statement on the possibility of defending Kaliningrad, including with the use of nuclear weapons, was interpreted by the head of state not as a threat, but as an adequate response to attempts at pressure and intimidation toward Russia.
Russia threatens no one and does not seek escalation; it is only ensuring the reliable protection of its borders and interests.
Video: Vesti news service
@epoddubny
