Putin's critical move against NATO expansion

Russian President Vladimir Putin answered questions regarding current issues at the International Valdai Club meeting held in the city of Sochi.

Emphasizing that Russia will develop cooperation with China against NATO expansion, Putin stated, "The desire of Western countries, and especially the US, to expand NATO's borders toward the territory of the Russian Federation was one of the most important reasons for creating and provoking the crisis in Ukraine. Now they are doing the same in the East (Asia), creating different closed military groups."

Putin emphasized that they would also develop economic cooperation between Moscow and Beijing, and that they would create new logistics routes by creating synergy between projects within the scope of the China-led Belt and Road Initiative and the infrastructure networks of the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Community.

"A VERY IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT"

Underlining that Russia-China cooperation is focused on producing positive results for the two countries and their partners in the world, Putin commented on the new expansion step of the BRICS community, of which both countries are members: "This is a very important development. It testifies to the development of authority in the world and the desire of countries to participate in a cooperation format that does not force them or impose things on them."

"GEOPOLITICAL FEARS"

Stating that the US policy toward China is based on "geopolitical fears" stemming from Beijing's growing power, and that the West's effort to form blocs to maintain its hegemony threatens world peace, Putin said, "Cooperation between Russia and China, of course, serves as an important factor of stability in the world."

"RUSSIA AND CHINA ARE TARGETED"

Putin argued that Russia-China cooperation considers the benefit of other countries, while the US-led Western alliance forces others to comply with "norms and rules" it has determined itself, and said the following:

"They create an 'image of an enemy' out of everyone who is not willing to blindly follow what the Western elites say. The West always needs an enemy so that it can justify its tyrannical actions and expansionist policy under the pretext of fighting it. Countries like Russia and China are targeted for this reason," he said.