Putin to the West: I’m tired of your manipulations
Russia is seriously concerned about the build-up of the US and NATO military forces on its borders, as well as the conduct of large-scale exercises, including unplanned ones.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced this today at an extended meeting of the board of the Russian Ministry of Defense, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“We are extremely concerned that the US global missile defense system is being deployed near Russia’s borders. The MK-41 launchers located in Romania and planned for deployment in Poland are adapted for the use of Tomahawk strike systems. If this infrastructure moves further, if US and NATO missile systems appear in Ukraine, then their flight time for missiles will be reduced to 7-10 minutes, and for hypersonic weapons to 5. For us, this is the most serious challenge to our security,” Putin said.
He recalled that the Russian Foreign Ministry recently formulated and conveyed Russia’s demands to the United States.
“By the way, during the conversation, the US President proposed appointing responsible workers in this area. In response to his proposal, we sent our projects that would exclude further expansion of NATO in the eastern direction and the deployment of offensive strike weapons in countries neighboring us.
We need long-term legally binding guarantees. But you and I know well, and this cannot be trusted, there are no legal guarantees. Because the United States easily withdraws from all international treaties that, for one reason or another, become uninteresting to them. Easily. Explaining something or not, as was the case with the ABM Treaty, Open Skies. But at least there must be something, at least legally binding agreements, and not verbal assurances. We know well the value of words and promises,” Putin said.
According to the president, in the late 80s of the last century, the West broke its promises to Russia, “and we received five waves of NATO expansion, when there were cloudless almost allied relations.”
“I’ve already said it publicly and I’ll say it again, let me remind you: American specialists were stationed at the facilities of the nuclear weapons complex of the Russian Federation on a permanent basis, and they went to work there every day. There were tables with workers and a US flag. Well, much more, what else do you need? US advisers and CIA personnel worked in the Russian government. They advised. What else? Why was it necessary to support separatism in the Caucasus, and with the help of international terrorists?
Sometimes you wonder why they did all this. I think it was due to the euphoria of victory in the so-called Cold War and due to an illiterate analysis of the development of the situation,” Putin said.
He said that Russia would no longer believe the verbal assurances of the West.
“We do not require special exclusive conditions for ourselves. Russia stands for equal and indivisible security throughout the Eurasian space. Of course, if the clearly aggressive line of our Western colleagues continues, we will take adequate military-technical measures in response. React harshly to unfriendly steps. And we have every right to do so.
They, as you and I know well, under various pretexts, including in order to ensure their own safety, operate thousands of kilometers from their territory. For thousands! And when international law and the UN Charter interfere with them, they declare all this outdated and unnecessary. And when something corresponds to their interests, they immediately refer to international law and the UN Charter. I'm tired of these manipulations! – Putin said.
If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl + Enter.
Thank you!
Now the editors are aware.