Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at a late-night press conference in Saint Petersburg on Thursday (June 19), said NATO’s push to increase defence spending posed no “threat” to Russia – even as he doubled down on his war effort in Ukraine.
His statement comes ahead of a crucial NATO summit. The western military alliance, as per reports, under pressure from US President Donald Trump, will meet in The Hague next week to boost defence spending to five per cent of GDP.
It must be noted that Putin’s latest statement on NATO’s disarmament is in direct contrast to the reason he launched the “special military operation” on Ukraine on 24 February 2022. At the time, the Russian president had claimed that NATO was building up military infrastructure in Ukraine, threatening Russia.
What did Putin say?
In a televised late-night press conference, the Russian president stressed that “We do not see any NATO rearmament as a threat to the Russian Federation.” He added that this was “because we are self-sufficient in terms of ensuring our own security.”
Putin claimed that Russia was “constantly modernising our armed forces and defensive capabilities” and that it made “no sense” for NATO to spend more money on arms.
However, he acknowledged that higher defence spending by NATO nations would create some “specific” challenges for Russia.
“We will counter all threats that arise. There is no doubt about that,” he added, claiming that Russia had the “strategic advantage” over Ukraine on the battlefield.
“Our troops are advancing along the entire line of contact. Every day, more or less, but every day they go forward. And the advance will continue,” he said.
Putin also voiced his readiness to meet his Ukrainian counterpart, but only during the final phase of ceasefire negotiations. In the same breath, the Russian leader also, once again, dismissed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s legitimacy, claiming his mandate had expired – a narrative Kyiv has previously dismissed as Kremlin propaganda.