Vladimir Putin (AP)
Russian president Vladimir Putin on Thursday pledged swift retaliation against Europe’s “escalating militarisation” while dismissing Western concerns about a potential Russian attack on Nato as “nonsense.”“It turns out that war with the Russians is practically on the doorstep. They repeat this nonsense, this mantra, over and over again … They can’t believe what they’re saying, that Russia is going to attack Nato? They’re either incredibly incompetent if they truly believe it, because it’s impossible to believe this nonsense, or they’re simply dishonest,” Putin said, speaking at the Valdai Discussion Group in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. He stated that Russia is closely watching Europe’s growing militarization and cannot ignore it due to national security concerns.“We are closely monitoring the escalating militarisation of Europe … We simply cannot ignore what is happening. We have no right to do so for reasons of our own security.”“I think no one doubts that Russia’s countermeasures will not be long in coming,” he added.Putin also responded to US President Donald Trump’s characterization of Russia as a “paper tiger,” suggesting that Nato itself could be described the same way. He said Russian forces were advancing along the entire front in Ukraine and that nearly the entire US-led Nato alliance was opposing Russia.”A paper tiger. What follows then? Go and deal with this paper tiger. Well if we are fighting with the entire Nato bloc, we are moving, advancing, and we feel confident, and we are a paper tiger, then what is Nato itself?” Putin said.Trump recently authorized US intelligence agencies and the Pentagon to assist Kyiv in conducting strikes deep inside Russian territory, marking a notable shift in US policy under his leadership, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also urged Washington to provide Tomahawk cruise missiles, Barracudas, and other long-range US-made weapons capable of striking targets up to 500 miles away.Addressing reports of the US Tomahawk shipments to Ukraine, Putin stated, “It is impossible to use Tomahawks without the direct participation of American military personnel.””This will mean a completely new, qualitatively new stage of escalation, including in relations between Russia and the United States,” he added. However, Reuters reported that the Trump administration’s plan to send long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine could face challenges, as existing stockpiles are already allocated to the US Navy and other operations. Putin also asserted that Ukraine is enduring far heavier losses than Russia, despite Western estimates suggesting Russian casualties approach a million, exceeding those of Ukraine, as reported by the Guardian. “Given Ukraine’s losses, Kyiv should think seriously about starting negotiations,” he added.
