Highlights of Putin's speech in St. Petersburg

Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 16 delivered a record-long keynote speech at the plenary session of the 26th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), lasting about 79 minutes.

In addition to economic topics, the Russian president made a number of statements on international policy issues, mainly revolving around the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and a broader confrontation against the collective West.

Ukraine's counterattack

The Russian president has provided an update on the ongoing Ukrainian counteroffensive. According to Putin, Kiev’s forces have so far lost some 186 tanks and 418 armored vehicles of various types.

“Their losses are very heavy – 10 times more than those of the Russian army. That is a fact. The losses in equipment are also increasing every day,” Putin said, adding that Kiev had so far failed to achieve its goals, wasting strategic reserves in the fight against Russian forces.

“The important thing is that Kiev has not achieved success in any area.”

Western military aid

The intensified military action has caused a rapid depletion of Ukraine's own weapons stockpiles, Putin said, predicting that the Eastern European country's armed forces will become completely dependent on foreign aid in the near future.

“You cannot wage war for that long. However, our defense industry is developing every day,” he said.

Any weapons Kiev receives from the Western bloc will be destroyed, Mr Putin warned.

“Tanks are burning. Among them are Leopards. They are burning. F-16s will burn too. There is no doubt about it,” the Russian president declared, referring to the possible delivery of advanced US-made aircraft that Kiev has long sought.

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a record-long speech at the 26th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on June 16, 2023. Photo: Sputnik

NATO involvement

The possible transfer of F-16 fighters would involve the US-led NATO bloc more deeply in the conflict, Mr Putin said. Moreover, the aircraft would likely be based abroad, and would only operate in Ukrainian airspace when carrying out combat sorties.

In such a case, “we will find out where and how we can strike at the means used in combat operations against us,” Putin said. “This creates a serious risk of drawing NATO deeper into this armed conflict.”

“ Buffer zone”

By trying to attack the Kremlin and Russia's Belgorod region, Kiev is provoking Moscow into taking “serious and powerful retaliatory measures,” Mr Putin said.

The Russian leader said his country could destroy any target in central Kiev but did not see the need to do so. “We destroyed five Patriot systems outside Kiev, so we would have no problem wiping out any building in the center of Kiev. We had the opportunity, but there was no need to do so.”

However, he warned that if attacks on Russia's border areas continued, Moscow would consider the possibility of creating a "buffer zone" in Ukraine.

Negotiations on security guarantees

Moscow has never refused to engage in dialogue with the West, proposing a comprehensive security agreement even before the current hostilities began, Putin said. However, the West has refused to engage in dialogue. But eventually, they will be forced to abandon their confrontational stance.

“As for whether we need to have a dialogue with them, I repeat once again, we do not reject this dialogue,” Putin said. “They themselves decided to cut off this dialogue with us. They do not want to talk. It does not matter, because in the end they will have to do so.”

Ukrainian soldiers pose for a photo near the front line on June 13, 2023 in the village of Neskuchne (Donetsk region), which Kiev says it recaptured from Russian forces in a counterattack. Photo RFE.RL

Contact US

The Russian president said there was “almost no contact” between Russia and the United States, but Moscow did not reject contact. “If anyone wants to build a dialogue with us, they are welcome,” he said.

“US President Biden is a grown man and an experienced politician. Who am I to teach him? Let him do what he sees fit. As for us, we will do what we believe is in the interests of Russia and the Russian people. Everyone will have to take this into account,” Putin said.

Use of nuclear weapons

The Russian president also warned against normalizing talks on the use of nuclear weapons, saying that “the very fact of discussing this topic lowers the threshold for their use.” At the same time, the Kremlin chief rejected the idea of ​​entering into any nuclear disarmament talks with the West.

“We have more of these weapons than NATO countries. They know that and are always trying to convince us to start negotiations on reductions,” he said.

Russia has no need to use nuclear weapons but “theoretically, it is certainly possible” to use them, he said. “That could happen if there is a threat to our territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty, as well as to the existence of the Russian state.”

The first batch of tactical nuclear warheads has been delivered to Belarus. “We will complete this work by the end of this year” .

Minh Duc (According to RT, TASS)

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/diem-nhan-trong-bai-phat-bieu-cua-ong-putin-tai-st-petersburg-a612971.html