Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday condemned a OTAN stuck “in the Cold War” and assured that “nothing has changed” regarding Russian military plans in Ukraine, after Allied chief Jens Stoltenberg demanded that it “immediately end” the war.
“OTAN is a rudiment of a bygone era, of the Cold War. In this regard, we were always told that it had changed, that it was now more of a political union, but everyone was looking for reasons and possibilities to impose it as a military organization,” Putin assured Russian media during his visit to Turkmenistan.
Putin, who thus responded to the numerous criticisms leveled at him at the allied summit in Madrid, considered that the unipolar world promoted by the West is an anachronism and a danger to the international system, and underlined that the Kremlin is committed to cooperation with the UN, the G20 and the BRICS group (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).
In this regard, he expressed willingness to dialogue with the West on arms control and the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, or on the stability of energy and food markets.
In a reference to the decision to consider Russia as the main threat to Euro-Atlantic security, Putin addressed the United States and its obsession with always looking for external enemies.
In this context, he recalled that Stoltenberg assured in the Spanish capital that the allied bloc had been preparing since 2014 for a confrontation with his country.
“Since 2014 they were preparing some actions against us, it is not a new thing. This precisely explains our firm action in defense of our own interests”, he pointed out.
Putin has also railed against the “exclusivity” of the West and its refusal to accept the loss of its dominant role in the world.
“Hidden under the facade of a supposed order, based on rules and other dubious concepts, they try to control and guide global processes in their own way, promote the construction of hermetic blocs and coalitions, which adopt decisions that only suit one country, the States United”, he summarized.
When referring to the allies’ appeal for Putin to order the withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of Ukraine, “a democratic and sovereign nation”, the Russian leader considered that “nothing has changed”.
“I have nothing to add. The final objective was announced, the liberation of the Donbass, the defense of these populations and the creation of conditions that guarantee the security of Russia itself. It’s all,” he said.
In an allusion to the deadlines, Putin considered it “incorrect” to address this issue and recalled that they are dependent on the “intensity” of the fighting, and when the Kremlin intends “as a priority” to reduce casualties in the ranks of the Russian army.
“I am inherently the supreme commander, but I finished my course at the General Staff Academy anyway,” he recalled.
Putin also considered that the western powers do not intend to defend the Ukrainians, but to satisfy their own interests, “to confirm their role in the world, confirm their leadership, if not their hegemony and, literally, their imperialist ambitions”.
Therefore, and if Moscow had not taken the initiative in the face of Western plans to turn Ukraine into a “bridgehead” and “anti-Russia”, its country would have to face forever “with that sword of Damocles”.
In a reference to the future accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO, the Russian President warned again that he will respond with similar measures in case of installation of contingents and allied military equipment in the territories of the two Scandinavian countries.
“With Sweden and Finland we don’t have the problems that we unfortunately have with Ukraine. We have no disputes or territorial problems, there is nothing to worry about in relation to the accession of Finland and Sweden to OTAN. If that’s what they intend, then move on,” he said.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, and the offensive was condemned by most of the international community, which responded by sending arms to Ukraine and reinforcing economic and political sanctions on Moscow.
