NATO rearmament, Iran-Israel conflict and German involvement in Ukraine: Key takeaways from Putin's Q&A

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NATO rearmament, Iran-Israel conflict and German involvement in Ukraine: Key takeaways from Putin's Q&A

RT.com
19 Jun 2025, 09:31 GMT+

The Russian president held a late-night press conference on the sidelines of the SPIEF 2025 forum

Russian President Vladimir Putin touched upon a wide range of topics - from Europe's military posture and the conflict in Ukraine to the Middle East crisis and global diplomacy - in an unscripted Q&A session with international media leaders.

Here are the key takeaways from President Putin's meeting with journalists from Vietnam, China, Indonesia, Germany, Kazakhstan, Spain, Trkiye, Belarus, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan, as well as representatives of AFP, AP, and Reuters, which began shortly before midnight and dragged into early Thursday morning.

Ukraine conflict and peace prospects

Putin reiterated that Russia's military involvement in Ukraine was triggered by the West's refusal to acknowledge Moscow's legitimate security concerns and failure to compel Kiev to uphold past agreements and protect Russian-speaking populations in Donbass.

The Russian president expressed a willingness to resume peace talks but insisted that any agreement must be signed by a legitimate Ukrainian government - a direct jab at Vladimir Zelensky, whose presidential term expired more than a year ago. He noted that peace proposals developed during the 2022 Istanbul talks - later derailed by Ukraine's Western backers who sought to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia - could still serve as a framework, but only if new realities are taken into account.

"As I warned, the situation is going to get worse - so it got worse for them. Now we are not talking about Donetsk and Lugansk, but about two more subjects of the Russian Federation, and Crimea, of course. Let's discuss this," Putin stated.

Under renewed direct talks in Trkiye, Kiev and Moscow have agreed on several major prisoner exchanges, and communication channels between Russian and Ukrainian envoys remain open. Nevertheless, Putin warned that absent a genuine willingness from Ukraine and its Western backers to drop unrealistic demands and pursue a negotiated settlement, Russia would continue to pursue its objectives through military means.

NATO rearmament and fearmongering

Asked about NATO's growing military budgets and rearmament drive, Putin bluntly dismissed the idea that Russia poses a threat to the U.S.-led military bloc as "nonsense." He argued that Russia is fully capable of defending itself and continues to modernize its armed forces with far lower budgets. Western claims that Russia may attack NATO countries, he said, are a "deliberate fabrication" designed to manipulate public opinion and conceal domestic failures.

He accused Western leaders of using the "Russia scarecrow" to justify inflated defense spending and likened their rhetoric to Nazi-era propaganda, citing Joseph Goebbels' dictum: "The more monstrous the lie, the more likely people are to believe it."

Putin warned that this kind of military posturing only escalates global tensions while diverting resources from social and economic development. He cited Germany's economic stagnation and the decline of energy-intensive industries as self-inflicted consequences of its decision to decouple from Russian energy.

Berlin derailing relations with Moscow

The Russian leader voiced strong skepticism about Germany's potential role as a peace broker in the Ukraine conflict, asserting that Berlin has lost its neutrality. He pointed to the presence of destroyed German Leopard tanks on the internationally recognized territory of Russia as proof that Germany is no longer a mere supporter but has become a "co-combatant." Berlin's potential supply of Taurus missiles to Kiev, he warned, would not shift the military balance but would "completely destroy" any remaining trust.

Responding to remarks by newly appointed Chancellor Friedrich Merz about being open to dialogue, Putin said Moscow was not the one to break off communication with Berlin and suggested Merz was welcome to call if he was serious.

He further accused Berlin of sabotaging its own economy by cutting energy ties with Russia. "Volkswagen is dying, Porsche is dying... For what?" Putin asked rhetorically, questioning the logic behind Germany's economic decisions and mocking what he described as ideological stubbornness.

Trump knows costs of anti-Russia moves

Asked about US President Donald Trump's claims that the conflict in Ukraine "would never have happened" under his leadership, Putin responded that Trump was "probably right." He praised Trump's transactional approach to politics, noting that as a businessman, he "can count the costs" and understands the economic consequences of international decisions. This, Putin said, makes him more pragmatic than previous US administrations.

Putin expressed openness to further contact and even future meetings with Trump, provided they are well-prepared and result in "positive outcomes." "The track is well chosen," he said, referencing several phone conversations. "We have great respect for his intention to restore relations with Russia in many areas, both in the field of security and economic activity."

Iran-Israel conflict

Putin emphasized that Russia firmly opposes any further escalation between Iran and Israel. When asked what would Moscow do in the event of a targeted assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, Putin refused to even entertain the premise, calling it a "scenario I won't even discuss."

Putin added that Moscow has not been asked to intervene militarily in the conflict and sees no reason to alter its current stance. While Russia has previously delivered air defense systems to Iran, Putin claimed Tehran showed "little interest" in broader cooperation.

Instead, Putin advocated for mutual security guarantees that would protect both Iran's right to peaceful nuclear technology and Israel's right to security. He said Moscow has put forward several compromise frameworks to all stakeholders - including the US, Israel, and Iran - and held out hope that diplomacy could prevail.