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American Military News
30-06-2025
- Politics
- American Military News
Video: Putin says 'all of Ukraine is ours'
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently suggested that 'all of Ukraine' belonged to Russia, potentially hinting that his goal is for Russia to control all of Ukraine. Addressing the media at the start of the Saint Petersburg Economic Forum on June 20, Putin said, 'I have said many times that the Russian and Ukrainian people are one nation, in fact. In this sense, all of Ukraine is ours.' The Russian president added, 'You know we have an old…not a proverb, but an old rule: wherever a Russian soldier steps, it is ours.' Putin today: "All of Ukraine is ours… We have an old rule: wherever a Russian soldier steps, it is ours."I don't know how many times Ukrainians have to say this: 1) Russia doesn't seek peace; 2) A Russian soldier will not stop in Ukraine. Here, added English subs for you. — Ostap Yarysh (@OstapYarysh) June 20, 2025 In a Telegram post on June 21, Ukrainian President Volodymyr claimed that Putin had 'put on a performance' and had spoken 'completely openly' during his remarks ahead of the economic forum. 'Yes, he wants all of Ukraine,' Zelensky said. The Ukrainian president added, 'And when he speaks about Ukraine and something else about Russian soldiers' boots on the ground, he is also speaking about Belarus, the Baltic states, Moldova, the Caucasus, countries like Kazakhstan, and every place on Earth that Russian killers can reach. Putin's power ends where the capabilities of Russian killers end. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha suggested that contrary to Putin's statement, 'Wherever a Russian soldier steps, he brings only death, destruction, and devastation.' READ MORE: Video: Trump warns Russia-Ukraine war is 'totally out of control': Report Sybiha described Putin's comments as 'deranged' and argued that they demonstrated a 'complete disdain' for the current peace efforts led by the United States under President Donald Trump's administration. 'While the United States and the rest of the world have called for an immediate end to the killing, Russia's top war criminal discusses plans to seize more Ukrainian territory and kill more Ukrainians,' Sybiha stated. Last week, NATO alliance members agreed to increase target defense spending from 2 percent to 5 percent of gross domestic product by 2035. The agreement came following pressure from Trump for European allies to increase defense spending. According to Aljazeera, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte recently announced an increase in military aid for Ukraine, saying, 'At this moment, the Europeans and the Canadians have pledged, for this year, $35bn in military support to Ukraine.' 'Last year, it was just over $50bn for the full year,' Rutte added. 'Now, before we reach half year, it is already at $35bn. And there are even others saying it's already close to $40bn.'
New Straits Times
21-06-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Russia's economy resilient, not collapsing from Ukraine war: Putin
ST PETERSBURG, Russia: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday dismissed claims the war in Ukraine is devastating the Russian economy, citing continued growth, low debt and economic diversification as signs of resilience, while business leaders voiced concern about the economy's health. Speaking at the closing session of the Saint Petersburg Economic Forum, Putin responded to a moderator's statement that credible reports suggest the war is "killing" the Russian economy. "As a well-known writer once said: 'The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated,'" Putin said, quoting Mark Twain. Putin said 43pct of Russia's GDP is now unrelated to the energy or defence sectors, underscoring efforts to diversify the economy. The three-day forum featured intense debate over the risks of economic stagnation. Inflation remains high at 9.59pct annually, more than double the central bank's 4pct target, but it has been gradually easing since late April, according to the economy ministry. In October, the Bank of Russia raised its key interest rate to its highest level since the early 2000s to combat inflation. Earlier this month, it cut the rate by one percentage point to 20pct . But the Kremlin has criticised the move as insufficient, warning that the economy could cool too rapidly after two years of war-driven growth. "Our most important task is to ensure the economy's transition to a balanced growth trajectory," Putin said in a keynote address. He defined balanced growth as moderate inflation, low unemployment and sustained economic momentum. "At the same time, some specialists and experts point to the risks of stagnation and even recession. This should not be allowed under any circumstances," Putin said. Striking a more pessimistic tone, Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov warned on Thursday that Russia is teetering on the edge of a recession. He said future monetary policy decisions will determine whether the country avoids a downturn. Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina, who has led the institution through multiple crises since 2013, has faced criticism over high interest rates and currency volatility. She remains in her post with Putin's personal support. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said: "It's time to cut the rate and start heating up the economy. Demand for credit is weak, said German Gref, CEO of Russia's largest lender, Sberbank, and called for faster rate cuts. "It is especially worrying that we, as the largest bank, which finances ... almost 60pct of all investment projects in the country, have not financed a single new project since the new year," Gref said on Friday. Alexey Mordashov, majority shareholder of steelmaker Severstal, warned of a looming credit crisis and rising bankruptcies. He noted that steel consumption fell 14pct in the first five months of 2025 compared to the same period last year.
LeMonde
19-06-2025
- Politics
- LeMonde
Putin offers minimal support to Tehran, seeks mediator role
"Let him who is without sin cast the first stone..." It is with these words, delivered with a sigh and a wry smile, that Vladimir Putin concluded his interview with leading international news agencies, including Agence France-Presse (AFP), late on the night of Wednesday, June 18, held on the sidelines of the Saint Petersburg Economic Forum. Asked about his "mistakes" after a quarter-century in power, the Kremlin leader did not elaborate further, even after two hours of discussion with a dozen editors-in-chief, for an interview that started more than six hours behind schedule. On both Ukraine and Iran, he mainly presented his own version of events, alternating criticism of Europeans with praise for Donald Trump. "He is a businessman who calculates everything," Putin said, noting that he had spoken with Trump by phone five times since January 20, the date of the US president's inauguration. "And that also applies to his approach toward Russia..." Four days after his most recent phone call with Trump, on Saturday, June 14, one day after Israeli strikes on Iran, Putin refused to answer directly when asked about threats from Washington and Israel to assassinate Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. "I don't even want to discuss such a possibility. I don't want to," he replied curtly. "We observe that today, in Iran, despite the complexity of the country's internal political processes, there is a consolidation of society around its political leaders," he insisted instead.
