Russia not to be drawn into large-scale conflicts — Putin
ItarTass: Partners need to understand that it is better not to mess around with Russia, the Russian president said
Russia will not be drawn into large-scale conflicts but partners need to understand that it is better not to mess around with Russia, President Vladimir Putin said on Friday.
“I want to say immediately that Russia is far from getting involved into any large-scale conflicts. We do not want and do not intend to do this,” Putin said at a youth forum in central Russia.
Russia to build up nuke capability for ensuring own security
At the same time, Russia will continue building up its nuclear potential not for the purpose of intimidation but for ensuring its security, Putin said.
“I want to remind you that Russia is one of the most powerful nuclear nations. This is a reality, not just words,” Putin said.
“We are strengthening our nuclear deterrence forces and our armed forces. They are getting more compact and more efficient at the same time. They are getting more modernized in terms of their supply with the latest armaments. We continue building up this potential and we’ll be doing this in the future,” the Russian president said.
Russia is taking these efforts not “to threaten anyone but to feel secure and calm and have the possibilities to implement those plans, which we have for the development of the economy and the social sphere,” Putin said.
“We must always be ready to repel any aggression against Russia and our partners should always be aware that no matter in which condition their governments may be or which foreign policy concepts they may pursue, it is better not to come against Russia as regards a possible armed conflict,” Putin warned.
At present, “it has not come into anyone’s mind to unleash any large-scale conflict with Russia,” Putin said.
Kiev authorities unable to estbalish order in Ukraine
The West needs to realize that the Ukrainian authorities are unable to establish order in their country and to force Kiev to start substantial negotiations with the embattled south-eastern regions, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday.
According to the Russian president, the Kiev authorities keep saying that the talks are necessary, and at the same time allow the military to keep fighting in hope that “they would quickly establish order there".
“This is not happening and it is important to realize it and to force the Ukrainian authorities to start thorough negotiations, not only on technical issues, which are certainly of extreme importance, but on substantive (issues) as well,” Putin said.
According to the president, it is necessary to discuss what kind of rights Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics will have and the south-east of the Ukraine on the whole and after that to register everything in the form of laws.
“This is what must be discussed,” Putin said. “It is important to agree on the essence, but they refuse to agree on the essence and this is the problem.”
Federalization prospects for Ukraine
Russia will not interfere in the choice of a model for state development by Ukraine, Putin said, adding that he could not understand why the authorities in Kiev were opposing federalization of their country. "For some unclear reason, our Ukrainian partners feel so apprehensive of a federation but it's their choice anyway and we won't meddle with it by any means," Putin said.
On the face of it, he said he was confident of the importance of consolidating federalism in Russia. "It's a very important and meaningful element of our state system because it enables us to take a much better account of our citizens’ interests, as well as ethnic, historical, religious, and cultural specificity regardless of where they live,” Putin said.
There is a big enough number of countries that have a federated state structure - Russia, the US, Brazil, Germany, and some others, he indicated.