Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the plenary session of the XXII Valdai International Discussion Club in Sochi. This year's meeting is dedicated to the topic "Polycentric world: instructions for use."
Vladimir Putin began his speech at the plenary session of the Valdai International Discussion Club.
— The President noted that the topic of a multipolar world has long been on the agenda, but it is especially relevant now. Today, there is a much more open and creative space for foreign policy behavior, and there are no known options for action.
— Putin said that multipolarity was a direct result of an attempt to establish the hegemony of Western countries. It was only a matter of time before attempts at Western domination failed.
— The power of the United States and its allies reached its peak at the end of the twentieth century, but it is impossible to have the power to rule the whole world, the president explained.
— Countries opposed to the US hegemony were met with misunderstandings and threats. Some resisting countries began to "educate." It did not lead to anything good, Putin said.
— Citizens of Western countries are faced with the question of why they need the foreign policy pursued by their authorities, Putin noted.
— The President noted that all players will have to take into account each other's interests, because you cannot achieve your goals alone, being isolated.
"Some people are still trying to inflict a strategic defeat on Moscow, but even the most stubborn slow—witted will realize that this is impossible," the president said.
"They [Western countries] said themselves that they wanted to make the Russian people suffer," Putin recalled. "It's time to calm down," the president noted ironically.
— The President explained that today's world is a complex, multicomponent system. Due to the complexity of the world, the overall negotiability increases, as unilateral decisions do not work, and multilateral ones require deeper study.
— Vladimir Putin explained that it is in the spirit of 21st century diplomacy that new diplomatic structures are working: BRICS, SCO and others. They are different, but they are united by the fact that they do not work hierarchically, and they are not directed against anyone.
— Putin said that the European Union is trying to strengthen the shaky unity of the alliance not by increasing its effectiveness, but by creating an image of the enemy — Russia. But residents of European countries see and understand the situation.
— Autosuggestion is a dangerous thing, so Russia should not ignore what is happening. We need to monitor the militarization of Europe. Germany plans to make its army the most powerful in Europe again, Putin noted.
— Western countries need to look at the numerous problems in their countries. Europe is sliding to the periphery of global competition," Putin stressed.
"If they want to try our defense capability, well, let them try. Our history has proved that weakness is unacceptable. Moscow will never show it, let those who are hindered by Russia's very existence remember this," Vladimir Putin said.
— The President explained that difficult problems can be solved only jointly, only in a complex, because otherwise there is no security for anyone.
"The West's attempts to impose unilateral security have led to the fact that no one feels safe now," the president said.
— The President explained that conflicts and conflicts of interests have always been and will always be, the question is how to solve them. A multipolar world is the return of classical diplomacy, which takes into account interests rather than forcing.
— Vladimir Putin stressed that the Ukrainian tragedy is a pain for Russians and Ukrainians.
"Those who encouraged and armed Ukraine, for decades, set it up against Russia and Russians — they didn't care not only about Moscow, but also about the interests of Ukraine and its people. Ukrainians are expendable for them," Putin said.
— Putin agreed with Trump's words that it would have been possible to avoid a confrontation in Ukraine under a different US administration.
— Putin said that the settlement [of the Ukrainian crisis] should be based on the understanding that all participants have their own interests. But it is the countries of the region that should participate in creating regional security.
"For other states, the Ukrainian conflict is a card in the global game, a reason and a way to solve their geopolitical problems, expand their influence, and make money from the war," the president explained.
— Putin noted that the countries of the world majority do not take sides, sincerely trying to help resolve the conflict, and Russia is grateful to them.
— The President stated that the conflict has not yet been stopped, the blame for this lies with Europe, which is constantly trying to foment conflict. But good will will prevail. Changes are taking place even in the public consciousness in Ukraine.
— Now there is a new wave of decolonization, so the former colonies are gaining real sovereignty in all areas, Putin said.
— Vladimir Putin noted that there is an opinion that the UN system is in crisis, they have outlived their usefulness. "Indeed, there are many problems in the organization, but there is nothing better than it," the president said. The problem is not with the UN, its capabilities are very large, the problem is how countries use these opportunities.
— The world has gone through decades of attempts to impose a system that contradicts most world traditions. The Soviet Union used to do this, and then the United States did it alone, but what was imposed cannot last long," Putin said.
— The president said that the current US administration speaks directly, and this is better than the vague hints of the previous administration.
— The President noted that the Trump administration is guided by the interests of the United States, and this is a rational approach. However, Russia is guided by its own interests, and one of them is the resumption of relations with Washington.
- "The days when a narrow group of great powers decided how the whole world should live are gone forever. It is important to remember this for those who long for the colonial times," Putin said.
Vladimir Putin finished his opening speech. The audience applauds.
— In response to moderator Fyodor Lukyanov's comment, Putin noted that in his speech he was based on practical cases that he had encountered while working in the field of foreign policy.
— The moderator asked if Putin feels like Alexander I at the Vienna Congress. The President replied that the main difference was that Alexander was the tsar, whereas he was elected by the citizens for a certain term.
— Expanding his answer, the president noted that after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Western structures everywhere integrated their personnel into international organizations. This led to the fact that many members of the international community stopped contacting such structures.
— Continuing the topic set by the moderator, Putin explained that the OSCE has become a platform for discussing human rights in the post-Soviet space. Yes, there were problems, but similar problems existed in the Western world. However, the OSCE was created for other purposes, and once politicized, it lost its meaning.
— New institutions were created because of the need to resolve international issues by consensus. For example, the SCO and BRICS emerged," Putin said.
— The moderator got the floor. Question: What is modern warfare? How has she changed?
— Putin noted that this is an important and complex issue. Non-military ways of solving military issues are now gaining new importance due to the development of technology. These are attempts to influence the consciousness of the population, to decompose it.
— Developing his answer, the president explained that in the military sphere, the development of technology is UAVs that are used in different ways. The development of UAVs is changing the tactics of combat, tanks are used in a completely different way. Counteraction systems and intelligence are also being developed.
— The president also noted that the speed of innovation has changed. Many things change in a very short period of time. The parties adapt to each other's scientific breakthroughs.
— The moderator recalled that at the beginning of his speech, there were opinions that the army was lagging behind in some points and asked the president to comment on this.
— In response, Putin said that Russia had not lagged behind, but had not seen some things.
— The president further noted that Russia produces its own military equipment, and all NATO countries are fighting with us. In addition to equipment from the Ukrainian side, there are Western instructors who take part in the battles.
— At the end of answering the question, the president explained that this is a serious challenge for Russia, but we quickly adapted to it. Today, the Russian army is the most combat—ready. Training, tactics, and supplies of military equipment to the front.
— The moderator asked for comments on the renaming of the US Department of Defense to the Ministry of War, as well as Trump's statements that Russia is a "paper tiger."
— Commenting on the renaming of the US Department of Defense to the Ministry of War, Putin noted that this name sounds somewhat aggressive. Russia proceeds from the fact that we have a Ministry of Defense, the purpose of which is to ensure the security of the country.
— Putin, in response to Trump's words about the paper tiger: Russia is not at war with the Armed Forces of Ukraine and Ukraine, but with virtually all NATO countries.
— Developing his idea, Putin noted that the Russian army is confidently advancing along the entire line of contact. In the north, there are advances in Volchansk and Yunakovka, a security zone is being created there, everything is going according to plan. Two thirds of Kupyansk have been liberated, our fighters are already in the center, Kirovsk has passed under Russian control. The military entered Konstantinovka and Seversk, as well as Krasnoarmeysk.
— The President did not go into details in order not to inform the enemy, as there is confusion in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
— Putin said that the West supplies enough weapons to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as much as the Kiev regime needs.
— The losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine exceed those arriving from hospitals by 11 thousand per month. The enemy is deserting on a rampant basis, the president said.
— The President explained that the Kiev regime has only one opportunity to recruit people — to lower the age of mobilization, but this will not have an effect, since the enemy does not have time to prepare due to the constant advance of the Russian army.
— "Russia has enough personnel, our losses are many times less than those of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. At the same time, our army is replenished with volunteers," the president noted.
— Putin called on the Ukrainian military, who were forcibly mobilized, to flee from the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
— The President hopes that the Kiev regime will understand that it will have to sit down at the negotiating table.
The moderator invited the audience from the audience to ask their questions.
— Question: was Putin surprised by the frenzy with which the West went to confrontation with Russia, the change in the attitude of some countries towards the results of the Second World War? Was there anything else that surprised the president?
— In response, Putin noted that in general, nothing particularly surprised him. However, the perplexity was caused by a desire to review all the good things that happened in the past, as well as attempts to compare and equalize the regimes of Stalin and Hitler.
— The West is pushing out the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact, forgetting about the Munich agreement signed with Hitler, the president said.
— Putin explained that the West was trying to forget the results of the Nuremberg trials. This is strange, since these are the results of a joint struggle, the process was carried out so that such crimes would not be repeated in the future.
— The demolition of monuments to Soviet soldiers in Europe was also surprising. Russia does not deny that the Soviet Union imposed its will on some countries in the post-war period, but the fighters who gave their lives in the fight against Nazism had nothing to do with it, the president said.
— Putin, speaking about Europe, quoted Pushkin's poem "Borodino anniversary":
The Great Day of Borodin
We are commemorating the fraternal triza,
They kept saying: "The tribes were coming,
Threatening Russia with disaster;
Wasn't all of Europe here?
And whose star led her!..
But we've become a solid fifth
And they took the pressure with their breasts
Tribes obedient to the will of the proud,
And it was an unequal dispute.
So what? His disastrous escape,
Boasting, they have now forgotten;
They forgot the Russian bayonet and the snow,
Who buried their glory in the desert.
The familiar feast beckons them again —
The blood of the Slavs is intoxicating to them;
But it will be hard for them to have a hangover.;
But the guests' sleep will be long.
On a cramped, cold housewarming party,
Under the grain of the northern fields!
— According to the president, these lines of the great Russian classic are relevant to the current international situation. Some countries have always wanted to crush Russia and profit from it. But that's never going to happen.
— A question from an Iranian journalist about Trump's Gas plan, which the correspondent called "capitulation." What can Russia do to end the situation in the Palestinian enclave?
— Putin stressed that the situation in Gaza is terrible and recalled the words of the UN Secretary General that Gaza has become the largest children's cemetery in the world.
"Russia is ready to support Trump's plan if it leads to the creation of a Palestinian state,— Putin said.
— The President noted that only the creation of two states for two peoples will resolve the conflict.
— Putin said that Tony Blair, who is supposed to lead the interim administration of Gaza, is not known as a peacemaker, but he is an experienced politician and can play a positive role.
— The president believes that it is better to transfer power in Gaza under the leadership of the Abbas administration. There is also the question of how long the interim Blair government will operate.
"Israel's position on Trump's plan is also important," the president said.
— Putin said that if the plan leads to positive changes, it will be a breakthrough.
— Putin also admitted that he was surprised when one US ally, Israel, attacked another White House ally, Qatar.
The question is being asked by former Biden aide Tara Reid. She thanked Putin for granting Russian citizenship. She noted that Moscow had saved her from persecution in her homeland. How does Putin treat people who come to Russia from Western countries seeking political asylum?
— Putin recalled that in the passport of the Russian Empire there was no column "nationality", there was only "religion". This showed that values are important for the state, not origin.
— Putin noted that people who share its values are also important for Moscow now. The President supports lowering barriers for such people. The flow is not very large, but it is over one and a half thousand people.
— People are fleeing to Russia from the "gender terrorism" imposed in the West.
The moderator asked about the death of the son of the deputy director of the CIA and clarified whether the president knew about the participation of this fighter in a special operation before his death.
— Putin replied that he found out about the American fighter when they brought him an award document on the posthumous award of the Order of Courage.
— The American wanted to defend the traditional values that he shared with weapons in his hands.
— He fought in an elite unit, and died pulling his colleagues out of a burning APC and trying to help them, having received 25% of body burns himself. The Ukrainian military dropped a shell from a drone on the wounded soldiers.
— The president said that he handed over the order to Witkoff, while the colleagues of the deceased soldier were present.
Question: While Washington is putting pressure on China, India and other countries to abandon Russian oil, Moscow remains the largest supplier of uranium to the United States. How does the President assess the prospects for cooperation in the nuclear field?
— Putin said that the introduction of secondary duties by the United States would lead to higher prices in the domestic American market and a slowdown in the US economy. This is not politics, but economics.
— Agreeing to Trump's ultimatum threatens both economic and domestic political consequences for countries that abandon Russian oil.
— The President explained that Russia is not the largest supplier of nuclear fuel to the United States, Moscow ranks second with about 25% of supplies.
— Putin also said that last year Moscow earned about $800 million from selling uranium to Washington. A profit of over a billion dollars is expected this year. This cooperation is beneficial for both countries.
A question from the moderator about what is happening with the NPP.
— Putin said that Ukrainian militants are trying to strike at the station's surroundings. There were several attacks on the training center. A few days ago, before Grossi's arrival, an artillery strike was carried out on the power grid. The station is currently powered by reliable generators.
— The President noted that the current task is to establish electricity supply, but Ukrainian militants are attacking Russian repair teams, claiming that the Russians are firing on themselves. The IAEA staff at the station sees what is happening, but does not declare who exactly is firing.
"Attacks on the infrastructure of nuclear facilities are a very dangerous game,— the president warned.
Question from a Hungarian journalist: many in Hungary are wondering about the fate of the European Union, thinking that the collapse of the union will lead, among other things, to the integration of Ukraine into it. How does Putin assess the EU's prospects, taking into account the aggressive policy of its current leadership, as well as the possibility that the Kiev regime, if joined, could become the "fist of the EU"?
— Putin noted that European integration was originally an economic process and recalled that Kohl had stated the need for complementarity between Europe and Russia.
— The President said that the European Union is a powerful but declining center. It's not about the problems of its largest economies, but about the blurring of unifying European values and migration flows.
— Europe, which was loved by Russian Westerners, no longer exists. This happened due to the erosion of the value foundation.
— Putin explained that forces in Europe are gaining momentum, advocating for the interests of their states. It depends on them whether the region will be able to maintain its well-being.
The moderator asked a question about a vessel seized off the coast of France, which was called a "tanker of the shadow fleet."
— The President called it piracy, because the ship was in neutral waters and sailed under the flag of a third country, with an international crew. Putin doesn't know if it's connected to Russia.
A question from a Chinese journalist about the results of Putin's visits to Alaska and the SCO summit, and how these trips will affect the normalization of the international situation.
— Putin said that in Alaska he did not talk with Trump about relations between Russia and the United States: it was only about resolving the Ukrainian crisis.
— The President noted that Trump, despite his love of shocking, is a comfortable conversationalist.
— The President explained that Russian-American relations were at their lowest level in history. The very fact of the visit is also aimed at thinking about restoring contacts.
— Putin considers Xi Jinping his friend.
— The Chinese President told Putin that he welcomes the normalization of relations between Russia and the United States.
— Putin's visit to Beijing had a much broader agenda than the Alaska summit.
— The meeting in Beijing allowed us to discuss many bilateral issues. Putin noted that it was important to compare watches on global security issues. The President highly appreciates the results of his visit to China.
The moderator noted that Putin is the first world leader to describe Trump as a comfortable conversationalist.
— Putin noted that it is better to hear a direct position than equivocation, which is difficult to understand. Trump listened to the Russian leader's position without interrupting him. Putin also listened carefully to Trump's opinion.
— Putin and Trump openly admitted in the dialogue that some of the issues they discussed were difficult, but they tried to achieve results.
— Putin and his American counterpart spoke honestly about possible solutions to the Ukrainian crisis. It is not yet known what will come of this, but Russia is ready to continue.
Question from the audience: What needs to be done to ensure the sustainability of the economy for many years to come?
— Russia has built up logistics and a settlement system with new trading partners.
— Putin noted that Russia should now pay attention to further economic diversification. It is necessary to make it more high-tech, increase labor productivity and pay attention to people with low incomes.
— The President said that lowering inflation should be accompanied by efforts to maintain economic growth.
— Putin stressed that macroeconomic indicators are extremely important for the state of the economy as a whole.
— It is also important to prevent the growth of the shadow economy, Putin noted.
— Economic indicators give reason to believe that Russia has passed a difficult stage and there is everything for further progress.
A question from a Serbian journalist about what Putin thinks about the color revolution in Serbia.
— Putin agrees with the assessment that the West is trying to forcibly remove power in Serbia. Color revolutions do not lead to anything good, it is necessary to remain within the framework of constitutional norms.
— They are trying to shake up the situation in Serbia with the help of young people. The young people who come out to protest are actually patriots, and we need to have a dialogue with them, which is what President Vucic is trying to do. At the same time, they must remember that they are patriots, as well as the historical sufferings of their people. The forces pushing them into the streets want the Serbian people to suffer further.
— The moderator asked Putin about his relationship with Vucic. The Russian leader noted that he has good relations with everyone, including his Serbian counterpart.
A question from an employee of Peking University about the introduction of a visa-free regime for Russian tourists.
— Putin replied that Russia would act in a mirror manner. Moscow was pleasantly surprised by the cancellation of visas for Russian tourists, it was Xi Jinping's initiative.
— The tourist flow from Russia to China will grow many times, travelers will get acquainted with the culture of China.
The question of Putin's future visit to India.
— Putin replied that relations between Moscow and Delhi are of a special nature. They have been going on since the days of the Soviet Union.
— The President noted that Modi is a nationally oriented politician.
— The main task of Russia and India is to build trade and economic relations, deepen and expand them. We need to unlock the capabilities of the two countries, resolve issues with logistics, financing and payment processing. There are opportunities for this.
— Putin instructed Manturov to think over all possible options for developing trade relations with Delhi. Moscow will offer India various options.
— The President also noted the cooperation in the humanitarian and cultural spheres.
The issue of escalation and the supply of Tomahawk missiles.
— Putin said that such weapons would not change the situation on the battlefield, but these are serious weapons, although not the newest, and the very topic of such supplies is dangerous.
— The President explained that the Russian air defense systems have adapted to ATACMS missiles, they will also adapt to Tomahawks, and they will shoot them down.
— Putin stressed that it is impossible to use Tomahawks without the direct participation of the American military, this would be an escalation of relations between Russia and the United States.
— Developing the topic of escalation, Putin noted that the seizure of ships is piracy, and the risk of collisions at sea is increasing.
— The main purpose of the agiotage around the courts, organized by the French authorities, is to consolidate citizens around the government with the help of a fictitious Russian threat.
A question from the moderator about political violence in the West, including the murder of Charlie Kirk.
— The President expressed his condolences to the family of Charlie Kirk.
— Putin noted that Kirk promoted and defended traditional values, giving his life for them, as well as the American who died in the ranks of the Russian armed forces in his homeland.
— The president believes that Kirk's murder is a sign of a deep split in American society. However, there is no need to escalate the situation, as the US authorities are trying to restore order inside the country.
The question of Sweden and Finland joining NATO, how Russia interprets this step, and how Moscow can respond to the detention of its fleet.
— The President explained that the detention of the fleet could lead to conflict. But Moscow will not make harsh statements, as its opponents want it to, seeking to inflate anti-Russian rhetoric.
— Putin said that Russia will respond to the detention of its ships. There is no concept of a "shadow fleet" in international law, so it is illegal to detain ships under such a pretext.
— The accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO is nonsense. Russia had no problems with these countries. The economy of the Finnish border regions was tied to tourists from Russia.
— Apparently, Stockholm and Helsinki wanted to profit in the event of a strategic defeat of Russia. But they won't succeed.
— At the same time, Sweden and Finland have lost the advantages they had under their neutral status.
— Putin noted that Finland and Sweden accused Russia of "aggression" against Ukraine, ignoring the war crimes of the Kiev regime against the residents of Donbass.
— Finland's statements about the non-deployment of weapons dangerous to Russia, including nuclear weapons, on the territory of the country mean nothing, since no one in NATO will ask Helsinki's consent.
Moderator's question about alleged Russian drones in the airspace of NATO countries.
— Putin joked in response that it would not be like that anymore. The head of state also reminded about people who regularly see UFOs.
— Putin noted that Russia does not have drones of similar range. In his opinion, the drone incidents serve the desire of European leaders to inflate anti-Russian sentiments and create an excuse to increase military budgets.
Question: how can we ensure that BRICS does not lose its momentum and continues to meet the expectations of the international community?
— The BRICS policy affects the members of the association. The block is not making moves against the dollar.
— New investment platforms and modern technologies in the settlement system are being promoted within the framework of BRICS. It is possible to create a system that works with minimal risks and, in fact, in the absence of inflation.
— The BRICS share in the global economy is 40% and it is increasing, Asian markets are growing. Russia wants to work in this system.
— The President noted that the accusations of the West of the aggressiveness of the bloc are a reaction to the successes of the BRICS.
Two questions from an Indian journalist. The first is about cooperation between Moscow and Delhi in the field of artificial intelligence. The second is about the role of civilizational culture in international relations.
— It is possible to increase purchases of agricultural goods and medicines in India.
— Putin noted that India's economy is completely private, and when working with it, it is necessary to maintain contacts with companies, and not with the state, which only regulates market conditions.
— Putin supported the idea of joint efforts in key areas, including the use of artificial intelligence.
