In a speech on Friday, President Vladimir Putin takes a hard line against the West, claiming that it was “inevitable and necessary” to go to war in Ukraine.
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He also denies that Russia is to blame for the high inflation in the world.
– Those who talk about “Putin inflation” can not read or write. The Russian operation in Donbass has nothing to do with it, the president claims.
The speech had to be postponed by more than an hour after a massive hacker attack on what is a major economic conference in Putin’s hometown of St. Petersburg.
The president makes a number of attacks, especially against the United States:
– The United States can steal other people’s money at any time when they do not like something. This is an objective analysis, Putin claims – referring to the sanctions imposed on Russian individuals and companies. Putin believes that the sanctions also provide “new opportunities” for the country. He encourages Russians to invest in their home countries – and believes that what has happened this spring shows that it is safer than spending the money abroad.
– Did not strike
– The gloomy forecasts for the Russian economy (from the West) have not materialized, Putin states in the speech.
– The economic blitzkrieg against Russia has not succeeded – and did not have a chance to succeed, says the president, who claims that the West has tried to crush the Russian economy.
He calls the Western sanctions crazy and stupid. Putin also believes that the United States “after declaring victory in the Cold War, declared its interests sacred.”
“Anyone who continues to cooperate with Russia will be exposed to pressure and even threats,” Putin said in a speech in St. Petersburg.
Putin reiterates that “the special operation in Ukraine will be completed according to plan” and that it was absolutely necessary to protect the people of the Donbas region.
Putin also claims that Russia has hypersonic weapons like no other.
Follow the war day by day in VG’s Ukraine special
The president is also concerned about the prices of fertilizers – and believes that there is no reason for the rise in prices that the world has seen in the last six months. He warns that the lack of fertilizers could push world market food prices even higher.
– Russia has not mined Ukrainian ports, so it is not possible to transport grain, Putin claims in response to accusations to the contrary.
In the speech, Putin also talks about Russia wanting to take leadership in culture, sports and in the humanitarian field. He does not provide details on how it will happen.
Sanctions
– Ukraine has five or six different ways of exporting grain. It is the authorities in Kyiv who decide how it will happen, claims the Russian president, who also states that “the West continues to supply weapons to Ukraine”.
The president also talks about “a new world order” and that it should be determined by “strong and sovereign states”.
Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov has told Russian media that the president has personally worked on the speech, which was previously met with great interest.
The United States and European countries have imposed a number of sanctions on Russians and Russian companies since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.
In St. Petersburg, Putin has also talked about how important it is for the Russian car industry to retain its technological experts.
“It is necessary to have a level of experts to ensure technological sovereignty,” Putin said.
– This does not mean that all production in the car industry must take place in Russia, but critical things such as technology and know-how must be Russian, the president says.
On Thursday, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov proposed that Russian tops should now be driven around in Russian-produced Lada – instead of Western car brands.
The same Siluanov believes that Russia needs a technological security doctrine – in the same way as when it comes to food security.
PS: Putin says that the inflation target of four percent is close at hand in Russia.
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