Russian President Vladimir Putin insisted on Wednesday on the “non-negotiable” nature of his country’s interests and security, praising its military capabilities while saying he was ready to find “diplomatic solutions” in the crisis with Ukraine.
“Our country is always open to direct and honest dialogue to find diplomatic solutions to the most complex problems,” Putin said in a televised speech on the occasion of “Defender of the Fatherland Day”.
“However, the interests and security of our citizens are non-negotiable for us,” continued Mr. Putin, who is asking Westerners for guarantees such as the promise that Ukraine will never join NATO and the end of the reinforcement of the Alliance at its borders.
Citing as threats to Russia “the loosening of the arms control system” and “the military activities of NATO”, the Russian president once again considered that his country’s concerns remained “unanswered”.
The Russian president also promised to continue to develop the capabilities of the Russian army and fleet, “advanced digital technologies” and artificial intelligence as much as so-called “hypersonic” weapons.
Russia has developed hypersonic missiles in recent years which it presents as “invincible” because they are capable of surpassing any existing shield. It is also regularly accused of large-scale cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns against its adversaries.
Russia, which has been suspected for weeks of preparing an invasion of Ukraine, on Monday recognized the independence of two separatist territories in the east of the country, raising fears of a military escalation on the doorstep of the EU. .