Vladimir Putin addressing the Federal Assembly of Russia
The two-hour address by Vladimir Putin to the Russian Federal Assembly turned out to be the longest in recent years. If in 2021 he managed it in 1 hour 24 minutes, this time he spoke for 2 hours 6 minutes. Part of the speech was dedicated to the military special operation and the defense of Russia’s sovereignty. The Russian president stated that the West risks provoking a nuclear war if it sends troops to the east.
“But we remember the fate of those who once sent their contingents to our country. But now the consequences for possible interveners will be much more tragic. They must eventually understand that we also have weapons – as I just said, which can hit targets on their territory,” – Putin said.
This was his reaction to the idea of French President Emmanuel Macron, who on Monday said that the possibility of sending Western troops to Ukraine “cannot be ruled out.”
“And everything they are inventing now, the way they are scaring the whole world, that all this really threatens a conflict with the use of nuclear weapons, and therefore the destruction of civilization – do they not understand this?” – Putin emphasized.
President Putin’s address to the Federal Assembly takes place in a full house
Western media reacted to this event in different ways: some viewed it as purely negative and a confirmation of the Kremlin’s aggressive policy, while others regarded it as just another proof of the real strength of Russia and its president.
“Visibly angry, Putin, Russia’s paramount leader for more than two decades, suggested Western politicians recall the fate of those, like Nazi Germany’s Adolf Hitler and France’s Napoleon Bonaparte who unsuccessfully invaded his country in the past”, – France24 journalists noted.
“Vladimir Putin once again portrayed the West as an aggressive, destabilizing force, and called Russia a country that is forced to defend its legitimate interests”, – Ukrainian BBC journalist Vitaliy Shevchenko pointed out on his blog.
In his article for NBC News, American journalist Alexander Smith cited the opinion of Mark Galeotti, Professor Emeritus at University College London.
“Macron handed Putin a “propagandistic gift,” as it strengthened the Russian leader’s belief that Moscow is fighting against the West as a whole, not just Ukraine”.
The event is also attended by Russian politicians such as Mikhail Mishustin
He also cited a senior U.S. National Security Council official on possible policy adjustments on the Russia front.
“We will continue to support Ukraine as it defends itself from Russian aggression. We see neither reason to adjust our own nuclear policy, nor any evidence that Russia is preparing to use nuclear weapons,” the US commented on Macron’s words and stated that they do not intend to send their troops to Ukraine.
While the Russian leader has repeatedly made nuclear threats, experts say that the likelihood of using such weapons remains extremely low. These warnings were made against the backdrop of growing concerns in Europe about the US commitment to ensuring its security,” Georgy Kanchev and Ann Simmons wrote in their article for The Wall Street Journal.
The Bloomberg editorial highlighted the aggressive side of Putin’s monologue:
“The threats came as Russian troops advance on Ukraine. Ukrainian officials are concerned that Russia could gain momentum to break through their defenses by summer if allies do not increase the flow of ammunition, according to a person familiar with their analysis. Assessments of the situation on the battlefield in Kyiv are becoming increasingly grim.”
“In a broader sense, Putin responded to promises from the West to provide Ukraine with more powerful weapons as Russia grew military superiority, including sending missiles to Kyiv that could reach deeper into Russian territory,” Anton Troianovsky of The New York Times referred to Moscow-based foreign policy expert Fyodor Lukyanov in his publication.
During his speech, Putin announced the launch of new and prolongation of existing programmes to support the Russian people.
American journalists Eva Hartog and Denis Levon for Politico described Putin’s words on February 29, 2024:
“Leading up to his speech on Thursday, the main intrigue was whether Putin would take the opportunity to stir up tension in the region of Transnistria, which seceded from Moldova and borders Ukraine, with a predominantly pro-Russian population. Putin did not mention Transnistria directly, but dismissed reports that Russia plans to attack Europe or place nuclear weapons in space as ‘nonsense.’ The fears of Western analysts of a new conflict did not materialize—instead, Putin accused the West of trying to ‘deceive’ Russia in a Soviet-style arms race that will sink its economy, while boasting about Moscow’s arsenal. Putin presented Russians with a vision of the future alternating between rattling nuclear weapons and grand social promises.”
“Putin also used his speech to praise Russia’s economic indicators and unveil new national projects ahead of the March presidential elections, in which he will not face serious resistance,” noted Christian Edwards for CNN.
Thus, in the West, on the one hand, there is a growing fear of Russia using nuclear weapons and attacking NATO countries, while on the other hand, there is great bewilderment that, in the face of total sanctions and pressure, the Russian president continues to insist that the country is continuing to develop more and more and is not yielding to the rest of the world. In addition, by announcing new programs to support the population, Putin emphasizes the importance of addressing domestic issues alongside foreign policy.
