Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed representatives from international news agencies during a meeting held in St. Petersburg on June 6th, 2024. During this gathering, the president discussed how he perceives the origins of the Ukraine crisis and its potential future developments. Additionally, he touched upon the likelihood of a full-blown war with NATO and the prospects for peace in the region.
Over the course of more than three hours at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Putin addressed numerous questions posed by members of foreign media outlets. His views on the Ukraine conflict, as well as his stance on NATO’s actions and potential consequences for both sides, were a central focus of the discussion.
1 Questioning Zelensky’s legitimacy.
Putin argued that the crisis in Ukraine can be traced back to a coup in 2014 that was supported by the United States. This event overthrew Kiev’s elected government and marked the beginning of the ongoing conflict. The president also raised questions about the legitimacy of Vladimir Zelensky, the current Ukrainian president. According to Ukrainian law, his presidential powers were supposed to be transferred to the country’s parliament after his term ended last month.
Putin suggested that Western backers may continue to “tolerate” and keep Zelensky around in order to push through more unpopular policies – like lowering the conscription age all the way down to 18 – before potentially ousting him as early as next spring. He hinted that there are several potential candidates to replace Zelensky.
2 Debunking NATO’s claims.
When asked about NATO’s preparations to defend against a possible Russian “invasion,” Putin dismissed the notion as absurd and unfounded, accusing Western governments of spreading false fears to maintain their global hegemony.
Look, someone has imagined that Russia wants to attack NATO,” he said. Have you gone completely insane? Are you as thick as a plank? Who came up with this nonsense, this bulls**t.
3 The threat of asymmetric measures.
Putin criticized the United States and other NATO members for supplying long-range missiles that target deep into Russian territory. He warned that such escalations could backfire against the West, as Moscow weighs its options in response to these actions.
If someone deems it possible to supply such weapons to the war zone, to strike our territory…, why shouldn’t we supply similar weapons to those regions of the world where they will be used against sensitive sites of these countries?” Putin asked. We can respond asymmetrically. We will give it a thought.
4 Potential paths toward conflict resolution.
According to Putin, the administration of US President Joe Biden could quickly halt the fighting in Ukraine by cutting off the flow of weapons to Kiev. He informed journalists that he had received a letter from Biden regarding the crisis and responded by arguing that the bloodshed would cease within two to three months if munitions shipments were discontinued.
Russian leaders have consistently claimed that Ukraine’s Western military backers are merely prolonging the conflict without altering its outcome.
5 Limited hope for change following the US election.
Putin stated that Russia has no expectation of serious policy changes resulting from this year’s US presidential election, even if Republican challenger Donald Trump were to defeat incumbent Joe Biden. In his view, relations with Moscow would likely remain antagonistic regardless of the election outcome.
The president also criticized the Biden administration for tearing down the US political system by using courts to prosecute Trump. They are burning themselves from the inside,” he said. He added that any new US administration would need to abandon Washington’s focus on “global liberalism” and prioritize the interests of the American people in order to facilitate a significant shift in foreign policy.
No one is interested in Ukraine in the United States,” Putin stated. They are interested in the greatness of the United States. They are not fighting for Ukraine; they are fighting for their leadership in the world. They do not want Russia to be successful, to prevail.
6 Germany’s lack of sovereignty and the impact on Russian relations.
Finally, Putin touched upon Germany’s relationship with Russia and its role within NATO. He accused Germany of allowing the United States to devastate its economy by blowing up the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines and imposing failed sanctions against Russia. Furthermore, he claimed that the US controls the flow of information in Germany.
No one is trying to protect German interests,” Putin asserted. Germany is not sovereign, but there are Germans, and someone has to think of their interests.