{"id":344,"date":"2025-06-19T04:01:55","date_gmt":"2025-06-19T04:01:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/marinemalawi.com\/?p=344"},"modified":"2025-06-20T10:47:52","modified_gmt":"2025-06-20T10:47:52","slug":"nato-rearmament-iran-israel-conflict-and-german-involvement-in-ukraine-key-takeaways-from-putins-qa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/marinemalawi.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/19\/nato-rearmament-iran-israel-conflict-and-german-involvement-in-ukraine-key-takeaways-from-putins-qa\/","title":{"rendered":"NATO rearmament, Iran-Israel conflict and German involvement in Ukraine: Key takeaways from Putin\u2019s Q&amp;A"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>The Russian president held a late-night press conference on the sidelines of SPIEF 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Russian President Vladimir Putin has touched upon a wide range of topics \u2013 from Europe\u2019s military posture and the Ukraine conflict, to the Middle East crisis and global diplomacy \u2013 in an unscripted Q&amp;A session with international media.<\/p>\n<p>Here are the key takeaways from Putin\u2019s meeting with journalists from Vietnam, China, Indonesia, Germany, Kazakhstan, Spain, T\u00fcrkiye, Belarus, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan, as well as representatives of AFP, AP, and Reuters, which began shortly before midnight and continued into early Thursday morning.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<aside class=\"listicle\">\n<p><strong>Ukraine conflict and peace prospects<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Putin reiterated that Russia\u2019s military involvement in Ukraine was triggered by the West\u2019s refusal to acknowledge Moscow\u2019s legitimate security concerns and failure to compel Kiev to uphold past agreements and protect the Russian-speaking population in Donbass.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\n        <span><strong>Read more<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<figure>\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"RT\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/marinemalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/6852c04685f54061b47f1333.png\"><figcaption><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rt.com\/russia\/619598-spief-2025-kicks-off-russia\/\">Putin to address SPIEF 2025 guests at key plenary session: Live Updates<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The Russian president expressed willingness to resume peace talks but insisted that any agreement must be signed by a legitimate Ukrainian government \u2013 a direct jab at Vladimir Zelensky, whose presidential term expired more than a year ago. He noted that peace proposals developed during the 2022 Istanbul talks \u2013 later derailed by Ukraine\u2019s Western backers who sought to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia \u2013 can still serve as a framework, but only if the new reality on the ground is taken into account.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cAs I warned, the situation is going to get worse \u2013 so it got worse for them. Now we are not talking about Donetsk and Lugansk, but about two more subjects of the Russian Federation, and Crimea, of course. Let\u2019s discuss this,\u201d<\/em> Putin stated.<\/p>\n<p>Under renewed direct talks in T\u00fcrkiye, Kiev and Moscow have agreed on several major prisoner exchanges, and communication channels between Russian and Ukrainian envoys remain open. Nevertheless, Putin warned that absent a genuine willingness from Ukraine and its Western backers to drop unrealistic demands and pursue a negotiated settlement, Russia will continue to pursue its objectives through military means.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"listicle\">\n<p><strong>NATO rearmament and fearmongering<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Asked about NATO\u2019s growing military budgets and rearmament drive, Putin dismissed the idea that Russia poses a threat to the US-led military bloc as <em>\u201cnonsense.\u201d<\/em> He argued that Russia is fully capable of defending itself and continues to modernize its armed forces with far lower budgets. Western claims that Russia plans to attack NATO countries, he said, are a <em>\u201cdeliberate fabrication\u201d<\/em> designed to manipulate public opinion and conceal domestic failures.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\n        <span><strong>Read more<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<figure>\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"RT\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/marinemalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/685337f885f54061b47f136b.jpg\"><figcaption><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rt.com\/russia\/619730-putin-nato-rearmament-threat\/\">NATO rearmament is completely pointless \u2013 Putin<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>He accused Western leaders of using the <em>\u201cRussia scarecrow\u201d<\/em> to justify inflated defense spending and likened their rhetoric to Nazi-era propaganda, citing Joseph Goebbels\u2019 dictum: <em>\u201cThe more monstrous the lie, the more likely people are to believe it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><\/em>Putin warned that this kind of military posturing only escalates global tensions while diverting resources from social and economic development. He cited Germany\u2019s economic stagnation and the decline of energy-intensive industries as self-inflicted consequences of its decision to decouple from Russian energy.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"listicle\">\n<p><strong>Berlin derailing relations with Moscow<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Russian leader expressed skepticism about Germany\u2019s potential role as a peace broker in the Ukraine conflict, saying Berlin has lost its neutrality. He pointed to the presence of German Leopard tanks on internationally recognized Russian territory as proof that Germany is no longer a mere supporter but has become a <em>\u201cco-combatant.\u201d<\/em> Berlin\u2019s potential deliveries of Taurus missiles to Kiev, he warned, would not shift the military balance but would <em>\u201ccompletely destroy\u201d<\/em> any remaining trust.<\/p>\n<p>Responding to remarks by newly appointed Chancellor Friedrich Merz about being open to dialogue, Putin said Moscow was not the one\u00a0to break off communication with Berlin and suggested that Merz is welcome to call if he is serious.<\/p>\n<p>He also accused Berlin of sabotaging its own economy by cutting energy ties with Russia. <em>\u201cVolkswagen is dying, Porsche is dying\u2026 For what?\u201d<\/em> Putin said, questioning the logic behind Germany\u2019s economic decisions.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"listicle\">\n<p><strong>Trump knows costs of anti-Russia moves<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Asked about US President Donald Trump\u2019s claims that the Ukraine conflict <em>\u201cwould never have happened\u201d<\/em> under his leadership, Putin responded that Trump is <em>\u201cprobably right.\u201d <\/em>He praised Trump\u2019s transactional approach to politics, noting that as a businessman, he <em>\u201ccan count the costs\u201d<\/em> and understands the economic consequences of international decisions. This, Putin said, makes him more pragmatic than previous administrations.<\/p>\n<p>\n        <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rt.com\/news\/619540-trump-russia-sanctions-billions-dollars\/\"><br \/>\n            <span>READ MORE: <\/span>Russia sanctions would cost US \u2018billions\u2019 \u2013 Trump<br \/>\n        <\/a>\n    <\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>Putin expressed openness to further contact and future meetings with Trump, provided they are well-prepared and result in <em>\u201cpositive outcomes.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><em><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cThe track is well chosen,\u201d<\/em> he said, referencing several phone conversations. <em>\u201cWe have great respect for his intention to restore relations with Russia in many areas, both in the field of security and economic activity.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"listicle\">\n<p><strong>Iran-Israel conflict<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Putin stressed that Russia firmly opposes any further escalation between Iran and Israel. Asked what Moscow would do in the event of the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, Putin refused to even entertain the notion, calling it a <em>\u201cscenario I won\u2019t even discuss.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\n        <span><strong>Read more<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<figure>\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"RT\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/marinemalawi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/685311fa20302765676d6a66.png\"><figcaption><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rt.com\/russia\/619707-israel-regime-change-iran\/\">Israel has no right to force \u2018regime change\u2019 in Iran \u2013 Zakharova<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><em><br \/><\/em>Putin added\u00a0that Moscow has not been asked to intervene militarily in the conflict and sees no reason to alter its current stance.\u00a0While Russia previously delivered air defense systems to Iran, he said Tehran has shown\u00a0<em>\u201clittle interest\u201d<\/em> in broader cooperation.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Instead, Putin advocated for mutual security guarantees to protect both Iran\u2019s right to peaceful nuclear technology and Israel\u2019s right to security. He said Moscow has put forward several compromise frameworks to all stakeholders \u2013 including the US, Israel, and Iran \u2013 adding that he holds out hope that diplomacy will prevail.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Russian president held a late-night press conference on the sidelines of SPIEF 2025 Russian President Vladimir Putin has touched [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":346,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-344","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marinemalawi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/344","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marinemalawi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marinemalawi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marinemalawi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marinemalawi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=344"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/marinemalawi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/344\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":349,"href":"https:\/\/marinemalawi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/344\/revisions\/349"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marinemalawi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/346"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marinemalawi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=344"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marinemalawi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=344"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marinemalawi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=344"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}