Western claims of Russian threat ‘lies and nonsense’ – Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed Western claims of an imminent attack by Moscow as “lies and nonsense,” stressing that such deliberate statements are meant to raise the level of hysteria on the continent.
Speaking at an expanded Defense Ministry Board meeting on Wednesday, Putin noted that the global geopolitical situation remains “tense” and “downright critical” in some regions. He accused NATO countries of “preparing for a major war” by building up and modernizing their offensive forces while “brainwashing” their population with claims of an inevitable clash with Russia.
“I have repeatedly stated that this is a lie, nonsense, pure nonsense about some imaginary Russian threat to European countries. But this is being done quite deliberately,” Putin said, adding that EU officials have “forgotten their responsibility” and are being guided by short-term personal or shared political interests.
He went on to stress that throughout its history, even in the most difficult circumstances, Russia has always strived to find diplomatic solutions to conflicts and contradictions, so long as there was even a slight chance.
“The responsibility for not seizing these opportunities lies entirely with those who believed they could speak to us through force,” Putin stressed.
The president stated that Russia supports “mutually beneficial and equal cooperation” with the US and European states, as well as the formation of a unified security system across the Eurasian region. He separately noted the progress that has been made in bilateral talks with Washington.
‘Unfortunately, this cannot be said about the current leadership of most European countries,” he said.
Putin went on to state that Moscow recognizes that in any international situation, its armed forces remain the key guarantor of Russia’s sovereignty, independence, security, future, and strategic parity.
