RT
Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed pressing global issues at Sochi’s annual Valdai Club forum on Thursday. Interviewed by renowned foreign affairs expert and RT contributor Fyodor Lukyanov, Putin delved into topics ranging from NATO and international security to the ideological roots of current global tensions, openly challenging Western policies and proposing a multipolar vision for the future. Here are the major takeaways from Putin’s remarks.
Putin congratulates ‘courageous’ Trump and expresses willingness to engage with him
Putin addressed Donald Trump’s sensational US election victory, calling him a “courageous” politician who has shown resilience despite apparent assassination attempts and legal challenges. Putin said he is “ready to talk” with the American president-elect.
“We see him as a capable leader,” Putin said, praising Trump for continuing his political career under what he characterized as “unfair scrutiny.” He added that Trump’s foreign policy might offer a chance to reset US-Russia relations, though he did not specify any specific agenda items that a future dialogue might tackle. The president has previously noted his opposition to the “anti-Russian” stance he perceives from the current US administration and hopes Trump might pursue a “more constructive” path.
NATO is an ‘anachronism’ and at fault for the Ukraine conflict
Putin also took a direct shot at NATO, calling the transatlantic military bloc “an anachronism” that he said serves to incite conflicts rather than foster peace. According to the president, NATO’s expansionist policies were the primary catalyst for the Ukraine conflict. He accused the organization of overstepping its boundaries and creating “security imbalances” that destabilize Eastern Europe.
In Putin’s words, “NATO is no longer a defensive alliance – it needs conflict to justify its existence.” He argued that Western narratives ignore the bloc’s role in escalating the Ukraine conflict, suggesting that Russia’s actions were a necessary response to what he called its aggressive posturing. “They are in need of a constant adversary to function; that’s what keeps NATO alive,” Putin said, reiterating his long-standing position that its role in Eastern Europe fundamentally threatens Russia’s security.
In Putin’s words, “NATO is no longer a defensive alliance – it needs conflict to justify its existence.” He argued that Western narratives ignore the bloc’s role in escalating the Ukraine conflict, suggesting that Russia’s actions were a necessary response to what he called its aggressive posturing. “They are in need of a constant adversary to function; that’s what keeps NATO alive,” Putin said, reiterating his long-standing position that its role in Eastern Europe fundamentally threatens Russia’s security.
Neoliberalism branded a ‘totalitarian ideology’
Shifting to a broader critique of Western policies, Putin did not hold back in his characterization of neoliberalism.
“[It has] become a totalitarian ideology,” he stated, condemning the economic and political model as one that enforces uniformity in ways he claims stifle national sovereignty and traditional values. Putin’s remarks seemed to be aimed not only at Western governments but also at multinational corporations and international institutions that he sees as embodying this worldview.
In his opinion, neoliberal policies lead to the erosion of individual national cultures and impose “moral frameworks that are foreign to many societies.” He stressed that the system seeks to undermine traditional values, disparaging what he described as Western efforts to dictate moral and political norms around the world. Putin highlighted Russia’s contrasting vision, which he said is based on respect for cultural diversity and non-interference in the domestic affairs of other nations. “There is no room for difference in the neoliberal order,” he argued. “It seeks to flatten diversity rather than celebrate it.”
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