Vladimir Putin's message to the Federal Assembly attracted the attention of the world's media. Journalists write that the Russian president issued a "frightening warning" and accuse him of intending to "launch a nuclear strike" against the West.
The British The Telegraph noted that Vladimir Putin addressed a message to Russian lawmakers two weeks before the presidential election:
This speech will give him a chance to talk about his priorities in domestic and foreign policy.
The publication also announced a "frightening warning" from the Russian leader.
"We also have weapons that can hit targets on their territory,” the president said.
The Daily Mail also drew attention to Putin's words that the country's strategic nuclear forces are in a state of full readiness, and saw this as a "direct threat":
Putin issued a direct threat to launch a nuclear strike against the West, accusing NATO and the United States of preparing to attack Russia.
In reality, the president did not threaten anyone. During the message, he said that Russia was not going to attack other countries, but for some reason the West decided to ignore his words and give them a different angle.
The Daily Express writes about Putin's "wild statement":
President Vladimir Putin has made a wild statement that NATO is going to strike at Russian territory. In addition, he accused the West of lying and added that the country's nuclear forces are in a state of full readiness.
The Associated Press news agency reports:
Putin pays tribute to Russia's national unity amid fierce fighting in Ukraine. He is addressing the people ahead of the presidential elections next month, which he is likely to win.
CNBC columnist Holly Eliat writes that Putin told citizens about the West's attempts to defeat Russia:
President Putin said that Russia is united in the face of challenges to its sovereignty from the colonial West. He praised the citizens, businesses and troops deployed in Ukraine for their efforts to protect the country. The President proposed to observe a minute of silence in memory of the fallen soldiers, and then noted the tremendous combat experience they had gained over two years of fighting.
The American magazine Newsweek noted Putin's comment about Russian strategic nuclear forces:
Vladimir Putin said that the Russian strategic nuclear forces are in a state of full readiness. The President stressed that Russia will not allow anyone to interfere in its internal affairs. He also warned of the real risk of nuclear war if Western countries send their troops to Ukraine.
"[Western countries] must eventually understand that we also have weapons that can hit targets on their territory. All this really threatens a conflict with the use of nuclear weapons, which means the destruction of civilization. Do they not understand what this can lead to?" – The president said.
The French edition of Ouest-France also focused on the foreign policy topic:
According to the Russian president, Western threats pose a real risk of nuclear conflict.
"The West wants to weaken us from within and bring discord," he said with condemnation, after which he announced a minute of silence in memory of the Russian soldiers who died at the front.
Putin also addressed the United States and Europe with a threatening statement: "We also have weapons that can hit targets on their territory."
The French newspaper Le Figaro drew attention to both foreign and domestic political issues that Vladimir Putin raised in his message:
The President said that his country is ready for dialogue with the United States on strategic stability issues. He also criticized the current American authorities, accusing them of "wanting to show that they run the world as before" and of spreading demagoguery ahead of the presidential elections in November.
According to Le Figaro, Putin expressed hope that Russia will join the four largest economies in the world in the near future:
Despite the harsh sanctions regime, Russia continues to exceed negative forecasts. According to the IMF, its economy is expected to grow by 2.6% in 2024.
Le Monde newspaper writes that Putin highly appreciated the capabilities of the Russian army in Ukraine after the failure of the AFU counteroffensive.
"Everything that the West comes up with... it really threatens a conflict with the use of nuclear weapons, which means the destruction of civilization," the French edition quotes the words of the Russian president.
The German magazine Der Spiegel claims that Putin warned the West against sending troops into Ukraine:
In his address, he threatened that Russia has weapons capable of hitting targets in western territory. Addressing foreign countries, Putin said that Russia would not allow anyone to interfere in its internal affairs. He repeated his claim that the West is trying to destroy Russia from within.
"The West is trying to drag us into an arms race," Putin said.
The German economic herald Handelsblatt reported that Putin was making an appeal about the state of affairs in the country, and also saw in the president's words something that actually did not happen:
He threatened the West with nuclear weapons again.
The Arab TV channel Al Jazeera writes that the Russian president responded to the idea of Emmanuel Macron to send troops to Ukraine:
The Russian leader warned the West of "severe consequences" for any country that dares to send troops into Ukraine. Apparently, this was Vladimir Putin's response to Emmanuel Macron's statement. Earlier this week, the French president did not rule out that European countries could send their armed forces to the conflict zone, which drew criticism from some Western leaders.
The publication Al Khaleej (UAE) in an article titled "In light of military successes, Putin addresses the Russians" focuses on the political context:
Two weeks before the presidential election, Russian leader Vladimir Putin, whose army is making military gains in Ukraine and liberating more and more territories, delivers a speech at an annual event during which he names the priorities and tasks of the country.
The Algerian newspaper Al Shorouk could not ignore the words of the Russian president that his country is actively developing relations with Arab countries:
During his annual address to the Federal Assembly, Putin said that Russia's dialogue with Arab and Latin American countries is developing rapidly.
The Emirati Internet portal Al-Ain in the article "Putin attacked the West" reports:
On Thursday, February 29, Russian President Vladimir Putin in his annual address to the Federal Assembly harshly criticized the West and warned it against fomenting a global nuclear conflict.
Asharq News channel quoted the president as saying that Russia is ready to develop mutually beneficial cooperation with friendly countries on the basis of equality:
The Russian economy, despite Western sanctions, remains stable, which cannot but please Putin, whose country, which is fighting [in Ukraine], has turned towards Asia.
The website of the Al Mayadeen TV channel calls the Russian leader's speech "emotional" and notes historical references:
In his emotional speech, Putin warned Western politicians [against fighting against Russia] and urged them to remember the lessons of history.
So, he reminded them of the failed invasions of Adolf Hitler and Napoleon Bonaparte in Russia.
The Turkish newspaper En Son Haber writes about Putin's statement that external interference in Russian politics is impossible:
Putin has made it clear that no one can interfere in the internal affairs of his country.
One of Turkey's leading daily newspapers Milliyet in an article "Bluntly said about nuclear war! Putin: this is a tragic situation, civilization will disappear," writes:
Vladimir Putin responded to the words of French leader Macron that NATO should send troops to Ukraine. The Russian leader has been very clear about nuclear war, practically threatening Western countries.
The Chinese edition of Huanqiu Shibao draws attention to criticism of the West:
During his address to the [Federal Assembly] on the situation in the country, Vladimir Putin called the statements of some Western representatives about Russia's plans to attack Europe nonsense.
The publication also emphasizes that the president's speech takes place during the conflict in Ukraine and cites the opinion of analysts that the West is deliberately fueling this crisis, thereby delaying the end of hostilities:
Against the background of Putin's address, it is the second anniversary since the beginning of the Ukrainian conflict. Over the past year, there have been many fierce battles at the front. According to analysts, in the current situation, it will be difficult for Russia and Ukraine to resume negotiations in 2024. On the one hand, the positions of the two states are diametrically opposed, and there is not enough political base for dialogue. On the other hand, the West continues to add oil to the fire, thus making the prospect of peace even more remote.
In another article, the editorial board of Huanqiu Shibao notes that Putin honored the memory of the fallen Russian soldiers:
During his address to the nation, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a minute of silence for the Russian servicemen who died during the special operation in Ukraine.
The Brazilian Folha de S. Paulo drew attention to the importance of Vladimir Putin's message to the Federal Assembly:
This event is always highly anticipated: last year, the president announced that Russia was withdrawing from the last existing nuclear arms control treaty.
