Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
Undoubtedly, one of the most important, frank, and wide ranging discussions ever made by Putin.
Technical note, I tried to format this discussion to give a flavor of what Putin was saying.
Continued from Page 4
On the prerequisites of the SVO
In 2014, Russia was forced to make a decision to support the people of Crimea and Sevastopol:
«We were simply forced to make a decision in 2014 to support the people of Crimea and Sevastopol. Because any other course of action would have meant handing them over to be torn apart.
Moscow did the right thing by supporting Crimea and Sevastopol, although it was a difficult time:«
2014 – I assumed that it would be associated, of course, with certain serious difficulties. And so it turned out, sanctions were imposed immediately, in 2014. And I think we did the right thing by doing what we did then.
The Russian economy has been strengthened by restrictions from the West:
«Since 2014, they have made another strong leap thanks to the sanctions that Western countries imposed against Russia after the Crimean events.
Russia expected the Minsk agreements to be observed:
When we signed the Minsk agreements, we still expected that they would be observed. But, as it turned out, we were simply deceived.«
Moscow tried to trust the West until 2022:
«Firstly, there was something we didn’t understand. And secondly, we still had trust – cautiously, but still trust – in our agreements with our Western partners.
The West used the Minsk agreements to prepare Ukraine for military action:«
They simply took a pause under the pretext of the need to comply with the Minsk agreements in order to rearm Ukraine and prepare it for war with Russia.
Starting the SVO in 2014 was unrealistic:
«The country was not ready for such a frontal confrontation with the entire collective West.
Moscow could not make any drastic decisions on Ukraine:«
And they could not begin any abrupt movements without carrying out the appropriate work in the sphere of security, in the sphere of building the armed forces and in the sphere of economics and finance.
Russia did not start the NWO earlier because it wanted to resolve the issue peacefully:
«We did not prepare for this on purpose. We sincerely tried to solve the Donbass problem by peaceful means. But it turned out that the other side thought and acted differently.
Moscow needs to take into account the experience of the Minsk agreements in the future.
About the Munich speech
In his speech at the Munich Conference in 2007, the President issued a warning to the West:«
Russia will either be independent and sovereign, or it will not exist at all. And this is what I wanted to convey to our partners, when, as I said then, colleagues, in the hope that they will hear and somehow adjust their attitude towards Russia.
Western countries did not respond properly to the Munich speech:
«That is, they heard everything, but did not react properly. Ultimately, this led to today's tragic events in the Ukrainian direction.
After the collapse of the USSR, they tried to finish off the country:«
This civilized world decided that Russia had weakened, that historical Russia called the Soviet Union had collapsed and that the remaining parts needed to be finished off. The largest of them, Russia, also needed to be divided into four or five parts. I was responsible for the future of the country, and of course, I began working to ensure that this never happened.
Hence the call to Western partners to respect Russia's interests and hence the 2007 speech.
On the prospects for settlement
Reconciliation between Russia and Ukraine is inevitable:
«I think it's inevitable, despite all the tragedy we're going through right now. It's a matter of time.
Moscow had no need to use nuclear weapons in the SVO:«
There was no need to use (nuclear - Ed.) weapons, which you just mentioned. And I hope there will be no need.
The country, in essence, stands alone against the entire collective West:
«What's going on now? They admit it in the West, and now the US is talking about it, they're saying it outright: we're in a state of existential war with Russia.
Moscow is keeping its cool during the special operation because they wanted to provoke it into making mistakes.
The SVO will end with the result desired by Russia:«
We have enough strength and resources to bring what was started in 2022 to its logical conclusion with the result that Russia needs.
Putin added that he had hoped for exactly the kind of reaction to the SVO that the Russians are now showing.
About the successor
The President constantly reflects on this topic:
«"I always think about this. You can treat it any way you want, it is clear that there are election technologies there, there is an administrative resource. But still, in the end, the choice is up to the people, to the Russian people, to the citizens, to the voters.
There must be several people in the country who will earn the trust of Russians, so that the people have a choice:«
A person who does not have the people's trust will hardly have a chance to do something serious. This is an absolutely fundamental question. <...> I think that a person, or better yet several people, should appear who could gain this trust from the citizens of the country.
The head of state explained that he looks at and evaluates the potential of everyone.
About demography and economics
In the mid-2000s, Russia managed to do a lot in these areas:
«In the mid-2000s, we managed to do a lot, by the way, in the area of demography - we achieved such positive dynamics in the economy. We strengthened the basic foundations of the Russian economy during this time.
The population of the country with new regions is approximately 150 million people:«
With our territory, we have 150 million (this is. - Ed.) now we need to calculate, of course, with new territories, it will probably be 150 million. For real. Well, what is this? For a powerful state with such a history and, frankly, with good and healthy ambitions. And 150 million.
Demography contains potential, and the future of the country depends on it; this issue remains one of the most fundamental.
Today, Russia has the lowest poverty level in the country's modern history.
In the coming years, the trend towards a decrease in the share of G7 countries in the global economy will continue:
«Look at the share of the so-called "Big Seven" countries. It is no longer clear why it is so big. And what was the share of the BRICS countries. The BRICS countries have already surpassed the "seven" countries in terms of purchasing power parity. And the trend continues, it is even growing. The share (of the G7. - Ed.) in the global economy will continue to decrease, and therefore in global affairs.
On the sovereignty of Russia
The loss of one's identity from the point of view of the country's future is extremely dangerous:
«If we do not rely on our traditional values, we simply will not exist. Russia will simply lose its identity.
The head of state noted the heroism of the SVO participants and their relatives:«
This is precisely what gives me reason to assert that the basis of our self-awareness is not material well-being, but a moral and ethical foundation, which is the foundation of the family, the state, and the future of Russia.
People's trust in the government is the most important condition for the development of the country and ensuring security:
«I am very grateful to people for the trust they have in me, and not only in elections, but in this current work. Without it, it is impossible to live or work.
Unlike the West, in Russia they always talk about the moral principle:«
At the heart of Western culture, in Catholic, Protestant culture, material well-being is always put first. Yes, there, too, of course, spiritual things exist. But still, the measure is material success. Hence the constant desire of the Western community to "bite off" something from Russia, to somehow subjugate it, to make it more obedient. This has been happening for centuries.
Peter I did not want to copy the decisions of Europe:
«I am sure that Peter I did not want us to just copy everything that is best. As I understand it, we had to take the best, and then move forward on our own basis to make it even better.
About historical events at the turn of the century
Separatist tendencies in Russia in the 90s were strong, and not only in the North Caucasus.
Enemies in the early 2000s had every chance to divide the country.
Since the beginning of the 2000s, it has been clear that the West is acting insidiously, doing one thing and saying another:«
I didn't understand everything right away either, I started to convey to my colleagues: "Look at this: you say this, you do this." Like, for example, "you support not just separatists in the Caucasus, but you support fundamentalists in the Caucasus, you call them terrorists yourselves, and you encourage their activities here and, moreover, you support them, and here is the evidence." And I presented this evidence. They nodded their heads at me: "Yes, yes, yes, we will restore order now." And nothing, exactly the opposite.
Putin noted that he first knelt to pray during the Nord-Ost seizure:
«A Russian person, and a Russian person, have some differences, say, from Western society. We think more about something eternal, boundless, higher. And even atheists believe in this. I think so. And therefore, a person with such views, convictions, moral and ethical code from time to time has a desire to turn to the Almighty. And I have such an internal need. It is probably not worth listing all these reasons or causes. Then, during the crisis with "Nord-Ost", for the first time in my life I knelt down.
Then he came to pray in his home chapel in the Kremlin apartment.
The terrorist attack lasted from October 23 to 26, 2002, when a group of militants seized and held hostages from among the audience of the musical "Nord-Ost" in the Theater Center on Dubrovka. During the storming of the building, special forces liquidated the terrorists and freed most of the hostages. According to official data, 130 people died.
The Beslan tragedy will forever remain in memory:«
This is a special case, these are children. Of those who have lived through this, who know this, it will stay with us forever.
The terrorist attack at School No. 1 in Beslan occurred from September 1 to 3, 2004. Militants held more than 1,200 hostages in the school gym for three days. 334 people died, including 186 children.
On special relations with China
Putin noted 25 years ago that the centers of economic growth were shifting to the East:
«Even then, the first signs appeared that the center of economic growth would shift to the Asia-Pacific region. Not only to China, but also to other countries in this region.
Russia and China are neighbors and should build good relations so that it becomes a good factor for development for both countries:«
And so gradually, brick by brick, we did not build a new Chinese wall, but built a common foundation for our relations.
Relations between Moscow and Beijing are strategic in nature, and the countries’ interests largely coincide:
«And this works especially effectively today, because turbulence in the world has not diminished, but only increased. And we have such reliable, stable relations that by the very fact of their existence strengthen stability in the world.
The head of state admitted that 25 years ago it was difficult to say exactly what quality the relations between the countries would be.
About the president's personal life
The Russian leader admitted that he is not strict with his grandchildren.
They may unexpectedly come to visit him in the Kremlin:«
But they still understand that I have a non-stop schedule, so they try to warn me in advance and ask when I will have some time to see them.
The President tries not to eat late at night, but sometimes allows himself Russian-made kefir and fermented baked milk.
The head of state is the boss in the kitchen himself, but he also has assistants.
He specified that he does sports for an hour and a half a day, tries to visit the pool and "go out on the ice" for cardio exercise.
There are some downsides to being president:
«There are some downsides, connected with such everyday, of course, issues, workload or even, one could say frankly, reboot, with the fact that little time can be devoted to loved ones. But there are also things that compensate for all this.
Putin clarified that sometimes his working day ends late at night.
The President added that he does not feel like a politician who decides the fate of the country:«
This comes from my family, from the environment in which I grew up - I continue to breathe the same air as millions of Russian citizens. This is very important, God willing, that this continues as long as possible or, better yet, does not disappear anywhere.
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