Putin on Trump: A courageous man

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who attended the 21st session of the Valdai International Discussion Club in Sochi, Russia, made statements regarding the current agenda. Expressing that a new world order has begun to form in the first quarter of the 21st century, Putin said, "These twenty years were not only significant in historical dimensions but also filled with dramatic events at times. Before our eyes, a completely new world order is forming, unlike those we know from the past, such as the Westphalian or Yalta systems. New states are rising. Peoples are becoming more clearly aware of their own interests, self-worth, originality, and identities. They are becoming increasingly persistent in achieving the goal of development and justice. Experts talk about the threats posed by new regional conflicts, global pandemics, and the complex and ethical aspects of the interaction between humans and artificial intelligence. The world is irreversibly leaving its old structure behind."

"WE HAVE APPROACHED A DANGEROUS LINE"

Emphasizing that international conflicts have emerged alongside this change and warning Western countries regarding the use of destructive weapons, Putin said, "International conflicts and clashes bring mutual destruction. After all, the weapons capable of doing this (nuclear weapons) exist and are constantly being developed, taking on new forms as technology advances. And the number of those who possess such weapons is increasing. No one guarantees that they (the weapons) will not be used in the event of an avalanche of threats and the final collapse of legal and moral norms. We have approached a dangerous line. The calls by the West to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia, which possesses the largest nuclear arsenal, demonstrate the ugly adventurism of Western politicians."

"THE WORLD NEEDS RUSSIA"

Criticizing the embargoes and restrictions imposed by Westerners, Putin said, "The volume of punitive measures applied to our country is unprecedented in history. Our rivals assumed that they would strike a crushing and devastating blow to Russia, and that after this blow, the country would no longer be able to recover and would cease to be one of the key elements of international relations. The world needs Russia, and neither the decisions of the bosses in Washington nor those in Brussels are in a position to change this."

"NATO IS VIOLATING ITS OWN CHARTER"

Reacting to NATO's advance into Eastern Europe and its arrival at Russia's borders, Putin said, "Today, there is only one bloc left in the world held together by so-called mandatory rules, rigid ideological dogmas, and clichés, and that is NATO, which tries to spread its approaches to other parts of the world by violating its own charter without stopping its expansion toward the east of Europe. Even before all the violent conflicts occurring today, many European leaders were telling me, 'Why are they scaring us with you? We are not afraid, we do not see any threat.' This is a direct conversation. I think the US understands this very well. They felt it. They already see NATO as a secondary organization themselves. Believe me, I know what I am talking about. But still, the experts there understood that NATO was necessary. So, how will its value and attractiveness be maintained? It is necessary to spread fear. It is necessary to separate Russia and Europe, especially Russia from Germany and France. Thus, they led to the coup in Ukraine and the conflict in the southeast of Donbass. They simply forced us to retaliate."

"RUSSIA WILL CONTINUE TO STOP THOSE WHO WANT TO RULE THE WORLD"

Suggesting that many countries want a world without Russia, referring to Westerners, Putin said, "Again, some people have the thought that a world without Russia would be better. At that time, they tried to finish off Russia, to destroy everything that remained after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and now it seems that some are dreaming of this, thinking that the world would be more obedient and better managed. However, Russia has stopped those who want to rule the world many times, regardless of who they are, and will continue to stop them. The world will not become a better place without Russia. Those who try to do this must eventually realize that it will become even more difficult."

"DONALD TRUMP IS A COURAGEOUS MAN"

Congratulating US President-elect Donald Trump on his election victory, Putin said, "I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate him (Donald Trump) on being elected US President. I had already stated that we would work with any head of state trusted by the American people."

Addressing Trump's remarks that he could stop the war in Ukraine, Putin said, "I find what has been said about the desire to restore dialogue with Russia regarding the resolution of the Ukrainian crisis to be noteworthy."

Pointing out that Trump, who was subjected to an armed attack during his election campaign in recent months, acted with a cool head, Putin said, "I was impressed by his composure during the assassination attempt. He is a courageous man."

News Source: İHA