Putin Rejects Western Narrative, Signals Readiness for Ukraine Talks
Russia will no longer participate in what he called a “one-sided game"
Speaking on the sidelines of the Eurasian Economic Union summit in Minsk, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered a direct challenge to the Western portrayal of Russia's role in global affairs, while reaffirming Moscow's openness to dialogue with Ukraine.
Putin said Russia is prepared to resume talks with Ukraine, noting that previous negotiations in Istanbul revealed significant gaps between the two sides. Nonetheless, he said those talks served the purpose of identifying points of difference and exploring potential compromise. According to him, communication between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations continues, and a follow-up meeting in Istanbul remains on the table. He cited ongoing prisoner exchanges and the repatriation of soldiers’ remains as small but concrete outcomes of continued engagement. Russia, he said, has already returned the remains of 6,000 Ukrainian troops and is ready to hand over another 3,000.
On relations with the West, Putin made clear that Russia will no longer participate in what he called a “one-sided game.” He accused NATO of dishonesty and hypocrisy, pointing to broken promises made in the early 1990s regarding non-expansion. Rather than acknowledging Russia’s longstanding security concerns, the alliance has instead accelerated its military buildup, with member states now planning to allocate up to 5% of GDP to defense by 2035. Putin dismissed claims of Russian aggression as projection and announced that Russia, by contrast, intends to reduce its own defense spending in the coming years.
Turning to the economy, Putin rejected the notion that Western sanctions have crippled Russia. He acknowledged inflation pressures linked to defense spending, but pointed to steady economic growth, more than 4% annually, compared to stagnation in much of Europe. He singled out France and Germany as economies facing recession, yet still posturing as arbiters of Russia’s fate. “They’re about to drop dead, yet they’re still trying to write our obituary,” he said.
On the matter of energy exports, Putin argued that efforts to ban Russian oil are unenforceable. With global demand for oil and petrochemicals rising, he said, the idea that Western powers can isolate Russia economically is wishful thinking detached from material reality.
Asked about former U.S. President Donald Trump, Putin expressed respect, describing him as a “courageous man” who has endured significant political attacks. He welcomed Trump’s past efforts to de-escalate the Ukraine conflict and said Russia remains open to future talks with Washington, including the return of U.S. companies to the Russian market.
Putin’s remarks made clear that Russia sees no point in continuing to play by rules it did not help create, and which it now views as rigged. Yet he left the door open to engagement, on terms Moscow considers fair and reciprocal.
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