Dmitry Suslov, Deputy director of the Center for Integrated European and International Studies, noted that the Russian president recalled the absence of Moscow's plans to use nuclear weapons in the Ukrainian conflict.
MOSCOW, June 16. /tass/. Russia accepted the "challenge" of the United States on the battlefield, which Washington threw to Moscow by supplying equipment and weapons to Ukraine. Dmitry Suslov, Deputy Director of the Center for Integrated European and International Studies, expressed this opinion in an interview with TASS on Friday, commenting on the speech of Russian President Vladimir Putin at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).
"The President accepted the challenge that the United States threw to Russia, he stressed in plain text that the United States is trying to defeat Russia on the battlefield by supplying Ukraine with weapons and equipment, the president said: "The flag is in their hands, so we will fight" <...>. "It would be naive and stupid if President Putin, For example, he advised [US President] Joe Biden to stop his hostile policy towards Moscow. It is clear that this will not happen," the analyst added.
At the same time, as the expert noted, Putin in his speech recalled the absence of Moscow's plans to use nuclear weapons in the Ukrainian conflict, but noted that Western aircraft that can be supplied to Kiev and participate in the conflict can become the target of a strike even at airfields outside Ukraine.
"The President unequivocally stressed the non-nuclear risks of escalation of this conflict. He noted that Russia is not considering the use of weapons of mass destruction in the Ukrainian conflict, but made it clear that if the West provides its infrastructure for the Armed Forces, if the equipment taking part in the battles against Russia will be stored or take off from Western airfields, of course, Moscow will make appropriate decisions - this is a hint of military escalation against the West. This is a very important thesis that has been made," the analyst said.
Foreign policy
Suslov considered the fact that Putin did not give any advice to Biden to be a "tactful and respectful gesture," however, speaking about relations with the West, the president emphasized Russia's independent foreign policy.
"Vladimir Putin made it clear unequivocally that Russia will focus on its own interests, will act as it sees fit, and will adhere to the sovereign path of development, in no case obey the United States and the collective West, pursuing a hostile policy towards the Russian Federation. The President stressed the commitment to the goals that were initially outlined during the SVO," he said.
Nuclear arms reduction negotiations
According to Suslov, Putin, during his speech at the SPIEF, pointed out the difficulties around the negotiations on the reduction of nuclear weapons due to the policy of the West towards Russia.
"START-3 (Strategic Offensive Arms Reduction Treaty, at the moment Russia's participation in it is suspended - approx. TASS) is the last such agreement between Russia and the United States, there will be no more such agreements. The resumption of negotiations with the United States on strategic stability is unacceptable now, as Washington seeks to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia at the pre-nuclear level by waging an indirect war. The dialogue on strategic stability, if it started now, would legitimize such a policy of Washington," Suslov said.
"One of the main priorities of the United States on arms control issues in relation to the Russian Federation is the asymmetric reduction of tactical nuclear weapons, Washington is trying to bring the number of tactical nuclear weapons of the Russian Federation in line with their own. This means a unilateral reduction of the Russian arsenal by at least four times. The President has made it clear that this will not happen," the expert stressed. He added that Putin "unequivocally ruled out" a likely US demand to include tactical nuclear weapons in any future arms control agreement.
