The two-hour address by Vladimir Putin to the Russian Federal Assembly turned out to be the longest in recent years. If in 2021 he managed it in 1 hour 24 minutes, this time he spoke for 2 hours 6 minutes. Part of the speech was dedicated to the military special operation and the defense of Russia’s sovereignty. The Russian president stated that the West risks provoking a nuclear war if it sends troops to the east.
“But we remember the fate of those who once sent their contingents to our country. But now the consequences for possible interveners will be much more tragic. They must eventually understand that we also have weapons – as I just said, which can hit targets on their territory,” – Putin said.
This was his reaction to the idea of French President Emmanuel Macron, who on Monday said that the possibility of sending Western troops to Ukraine “cannot be ruled out.”
“And everything they are inventing now, the way they are scaring the whole world, that all this really threatens a conflict with the use of nuclear weapons, and therefore the destruction of civilization – do they not understand this?” – Putin emphasized.
Western media reacted to this event in different ways: some viewed it as purely negative and a confirmation of the Kremlin’s aggressive policy, while others regarded it as just another proof of the real strength of Russia and its president.
“Visibly angry, Putin, Russia’s paramount leader for more than two decades, suggested Western politicians recall the fate of those, like Nazi Germany’s Adolf Hitler and France’s Napoleon Bonaparte who unsuccessfully invaded his country in the past”, – France24 journalists noted.
“Vladimir Putin once again portrayed the West as an aggressive, destabilizing force, and called Russia a country that is forced to defend its legitimate interests”, – Ukrainian BBC journalist Vitaliy Shevchenko pointed out on his blog.
In his article for NBC News, American journalist Alexander Smith cited the opinion of Mark Galeotti, Professor Emeritus at University College London.
“Macron handed Putin a “propagandistic gift,” as it strengthened the Russian leader’s belief that Moscow is fighting against the West as a whole, not just Ukraine”.
He also cited a senior U.S. National Security Council official on possible policy adjustments on the Russia front.
“We will continue to support Ukraine as it defends itself from Russian aggression. We see neither reason to adjust our own nuclear policy, nor any evidence that Russia is preparing to use nuclear weapons,” the US commented on Macron’s words and stated that they do not intend to send their troops to Ukraine.
While the Russian leader has repeatedly made nuclear threats, experts say that the likelihood of using such weapons remains extremely low. These warnings were made against the backdrop of growing concerns in Europe about the US commitment to ensuring its security,” Georgy Kanchev and Ann Simmons wrote in their article for The Wall Street Journal.
The Bloomberg editorial highlighted the aggressive side of Putin’s monologue:
“The threats came as Russian troops advance on Ukraine. Ukrainian officials are concerned that Russia could gain momentum to break through their defenses by summer if allies do not increase the flow of ammunition, according to a person familiar with their analysis. Assessments of the situation on the battlefield in Kyiv are becoming increasingly grim.”
“In a broader sense, Putin responded to promises from the West to provide Ukraine with more powerful weapons as Russia grew military superiority, including sending missiles to Kyiv that could reach deeper into Russian territory,” Anton Troianovsky of The New York Times referred to Moscow-based foreign policy expert Fyodor Lukyanov in his publication.
American journalists Eva Hartog and Denis Levon for Politico described Putin’s words on February 29, 2024:
“Leading up to his speech on Thursday, the main intrigue was whether Putin would take the opportunity to stir up tension in the region of Transnistria, which seceded from Moldova and borders Ukraine, with a predominantly pro-Russian population. Putin did not mention Transnistria directly, but dismissed reports that Russia plans to attack Europe or place nuclear weapons in space as ‘nonsense.’ The fears of Western analysts of a new conflict did not materialize—instead, Putin accused the West of trying to ‘deceive’ Russia in a Soviet-style arms race that will sink its economy, while boasting about Moscow’s arsenal. Putin presented Russians with a vision of the future alternating between rattling nuclear weapons and grand social promises.”
“Putin also used his speech to praise Russia’s economic indicators and unveil new national projects ahead of the March presidential elections, in which he will not face serious resistance,” noted Christian Edwards for CNN.
Thus, in the West, on the one hand, there is a growing fear of Russia using nuclear weapons and attacking NATO countries, while on the other hand, there is great bewilderment that, in the face of total sanctions and pressure, the Russian president continues to insist that the country is continuing to develop more and more and is not yielding to the rest of the world. In addition, by announcing new programs to support the population, Putin emphasizes the importance of addressing domestic issues alongside foreign policy.
after more than two years of destroying the ukro-nazi whores, foreign mercenaries and billions of euros/dollars worth of nato equipment, the russians have shown enormous restraint. they can easily destroy the warmonger rat nests in washington, dc, london, berlin, paris, warsaw and brussels.
people confuse restraint with weakness.
they’re so wrong.
sometimes that confusion is of a high cost.
i see it very day at this site. there is confusion because you are kept far away from the rest of the world.
you no know nothing about we rule our countries. you also desperat try to it in our economy you only know your own and its collapsed. there is fit . our protelares rule more end better then yours ever have.
you also know nothing about china and india and they make progress. you only only know they dont like usa and europe very much.
in the case of a nuclear war, all of this is irrelevant.
its written for putin and islam as well.
macron e compagni: un vecchio proverbio russo: tanto va la gatta al lardo che ci lascia lo zampino!
what a stupid quote for a professor emeritus at university college london. the russian admin knew they were fighting the us and nato ever since maidan, and very probably before that. all the so called experts who support the us/nato warmongering sound like fools. very probably a direct consequence of dumbing down their populations. there are now lots of scrape marks in the bottom of that western barrel.
take a selfie. no matter many oppions none here support yours
no one supports you and your fake dislikes and likes trolling.
sure. i dont write here to be liket but because almolst all other sources from part of the world is block, we has not done that.
you dont acces to facts about the rest of thé world. i somany things you are even forbidden so talk and debate about your own.
sure. my dislkes are many. most of them are not created by me.
the socalled article refer to random public medies. far out.
the states are public elected by our votes, newpapers and sites are those are private owner and by the stockmarket.
is is not trolling but people given facts they dislike or not know. and same ones seing ukraine as nazis abd even so they have a elected as jew as their leader.
you my friend are already at the bottom of that barrel. squawking for nato won’t get you any crackers as they were fed to newland. there may be a second round of cookies but a very much doubt it. the us cupboard is bare.
nato and eu has good results compared to others.
we fx live longer and better by those tol.
it’s going to end in nuclear war, because the roths, rockefell, soro, zuck and & want it, before the global economy collapses. don’t expect any peace – anti nuclear demonstrations in the west. the last ones took place during the vietnam war. this time, the elites have learned their lesson and made westerners brainwashed, apathetic, distracted, and confused. and busy with green nonsense and immigrants. and they didn’t informed them about results of strategic nuclear exchange.
i don’t doubt they are crazy enough to entertain the idea, but realize that hiding in bunkers in such a case is only delaying the inevitable.
those elites won’t have legions of military or pmcs to save them when they come out of their hidey holes and thus will be eaten up by the wild wasteland their policies created.
i think this terrifies them too much, they may be crazy, but not stupid.
i don’t think western countries at least its citizens know the kind of risk they are facing and the insanity of their leaders at this moment. things can go very bad and there will be no return. it’s the americans who are driving the world towards nuclear holocaust and its western puppets following behind. these people think they can ride out the nuclear winter in their luxurious bunkers eating plant based food for the next 5000 years while everyone on the surface will die.
what a punks these pigs are.
do you sell umbralles, sunglasses and drinks or what
you won’t need sunglasses where you going
they won’t survive in those bunkers long, and when they emerge the world they created will consume them.
i believe they will think twice about entertaining nuclear war, western elites would rather retire into irrelevance than be mulched up by the people or animals who were left to survive.
majority of the globe is cheering for russia to smash nato nazis. the time has come to dismantle the british and american cancer
their alternative is not even you. they know you. you are nothing and has not to offer.
stop projecting, fake like scum. you guys are super pathetic now. no body is liking your comments. you are using several devices to like and dislike comments.
i make no fake. but russia in any statistics are just as currops as ukraine. the fake is russians ask ukraine to clean dirty house.
for bouth its a dirty leftover from you own ussr.
theres no hiding it. the skum has crawled out for all to see
a focus on the cost to western peoples of these anti-russia measures, indeed on the cost to western peoples of being ruled by kleptocracies, would be more useful. by avoiding that point russia assists only its enemies. russia also has far more nuclear weapons than it needs, therefore at hugely unnecessary cost.
all of us has for it – and at least 51% in country support.
you not even know how we rule ourselves. i have been reading like here for many years. you rats never recommend anything better. never.
you are kept away facts and are kept away from knowing that. and if i tell you, you are told everthing i tell you is lies.
anti-russia measures – its not – its support for ukraine has every right to be their country.
a link to a translation would assist.
me anxious terrified of superior russian also i fear taliban pygmy army but luv lgbt amerikan
i nver wrote that
you and your lgbtq crew at nato hq wrote that?
bankers want to control it all.
not at at all.as many others they sometimes control too much.
not a line from our govermens about it. not a line.
and again its putin bringing in nukes and not us.
the rest of the world. who is??? in un some 141 countries asked russia to retreat and china and india voted neutral.
you are disconnet to the world. we didnt do it and its more like making vodka to potatos.
it is completely absurd that russia will be conquered by nato without the use of nukes it is better to die with rifle in your hand than a vaccination needle in your arm.
thats a very internal russian thing only.