Vladimir Putin was speaking at the Valdai Discussion Club, a Russian conference of international policy experts, where he accused the west of instigating the conflict in Ukraine, but said there can be a peaceful coexistence.
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Blaming the west
As before, Vladimir Putin again blamed the west for the current situation in the world.
According to him, 'the world is facing the most dangerous decade since World War II', he also said ‘western elitesscramble to prevent the inevitablecrumbling of the global dominance of the US and its allies’, Al Jazeera reports.
‘We're at a historical frontier. Ahead is probably the most dangerous, unpredictable and at the same time important decade since the end of World War Two.’
Vladimir Putin also portrayed the actions of the west as a ‘dangerous, bloody, and dirty geopolitical act that is sowing chaos across the world’.
Recently heightened nuclear rhetoric has taken place between Russia and the west, and Vladimir Putin in his speech singled out former UK Prime Minister Liz Trus, BBC reports.
Truss, during a campaign speech in August, said utilising nuclear weaponsfalls under the mandate of the PM, and that she would press the button if it comes down to that.
Vladimir Putin referred to this statement and said:
‘What were we supposed to do? Keep silent? Pretend that we didn't hear it?’
Unapologetically calling for a peaceful resolution
Reportedly, tens of thousands have lost their lives thus far in Ukraine, and similarly as many have lost their livelihoods and have had their lives upended.
Nevertheless, during his speech Vladimir Putin did not appear or declare anything unapologetic about his actions, to the contrary, he projected confidence and rightfulness.
According to Putin, the west is fighting Russia for conquering the second-biggest Slavic countryin the world and has caused partly a ‘Russian civil war’ in Ukraine as both peoples are one. However, both ideas have been declined by Ukrainian authorities as not true.
Ultimately, Putin says the west needs to talk to Russia and other major powers about the fate of the future world.
'The historical period of the West’s undivided dominance over world affairs is coming to an end.'
Sources used:
-Al Jazeera ‘World faces most dangerous decade since World War II: Putin’
-BBC’World faces most dangerous decade since WW2 - Putin
-Independent: 'Liz Truss says she’s ‘ready’ to hit nuclear button if necessary'
