Putin: only a patient can imagine that Russia will attack NATO

Vladimir Putin gave an interview to Italian journalists. The Russian President did this on the eve of his trip to Milan, where he will take part in “Russia Day”, as part of the world exhibition “EXPO” dedicated to energy issues.

During the conversation, issues of cooperation between Moscow and Rome and the European Union as a whole, as well as the topics of the conflict in Ukraine and the annexation of the Crimea, the Russian military budget, and many others were touched upon. The authors separately noted that the Russian President was late for the beginning of the interview on the 4,5 hour.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that only an unhealthy person can imagine a situation where Russia attacks NATO countries.

“As for the fears of some countries about possible aggressive actions by Russia, I think that only an unhealthy person, and only in a dream, can imagine that Russia will suddenly attack NATO. In some countries, it seems to me, they are simply speculating on fears regarding Russia,” Putin said in an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

According to the president, some states today want to play the role of “front-line countries” and are speculating on fears regarding Russia, and the United States needs an external threat to maintain leadership in the Atlantic community.

“I want to tell you, there is nothing to be afraid of Russia. The world has changed so much that people in their right mind cannot imagine such a large-scale military conflict today,” Putin assured.

About relations with the EU

“I am sure that it is not Russia that is to blame for the fact that our relations between the Russian Federation and the countries of the European Union have deteriorated. This is not our choice, it was imposed on us by our partners, it was not we who introduced any restrictions on trade, economic activity - they were introduced against us, and we were forced to take protective measures in response.”

“We have never treated Europe as a mistress. I'm speaking absolutely seriously now. We always offered a serious relationship. And now I have the impression that Europe was trying to build relations with us on a material basis, and exclusively for its own benefit. […] When European countries integrate, this is normal, but if we do the same in the post-Soviet space, they try to explain this with Russia’s desire to recreate some kind of empire. I don’t understand why such approaches.”

On the economic integration of Ukraine into Europe

“The European Union unilaterally reset its customs duties to Ukraine. Sales volumes to the European market from Ukraine have not increased. Why? There is nothing to sell. There is nothing that is in demand in terms of quality and price on the European market, other than what has already been sold before.”

On the causes of the conflict in Ukraine

“On February 21 of last year, an agreement was signed between President Yanukovych and the opposition on how to live further, how to build political life in the country, on the need to hold early elections. It was necessary to achieve the implementation of this agreement, especially since three foreign ministers of European countries signed this agreement as guarantors of its compliance. If these colleagues of ours were used as extras, but in fact they were not in charge of the situation, but in reality in the field, as they say, the situation was in charge of the ambassador or the US CIA resident, then they should have said: you know what, we are not talking about coups We agreed and we won’t support you, go to the polls.”

About the Minsk Agreements

“We, of course, for our part are doing and will do everything that depends on us in order to influence the authorities of the unrecognized, self-proclaimed republics - the Donetsk and Lugansk republics. But not everything depends on us. Our partners in both Europe and the United States must exert appropriate influence on the Kyiv authorities today. We don’t have the kind of influence on them that we have in the United States and Europe, so that the Kyiv authorities carry out everything that was agreed upon in Minsk.”

“The problem is that representatives of today’s Kyiv authorities do not even want to sit down at the same negotiating table with them. And we cannot influence this. Only our European and American partners can influence this. And there is no need to scare us with any sanctions. We have absolutely nothing to do with this, this is not our position.”

About Crimea

“The Crimean scenario is not connected with the position of Russia, it is connected with the position of the people who live in Crimea. All our actions, including those of a forceful nature, were not to tear this territory away from Ukraine, but to provide an opportunity for the people who live there to express their opinion on how they want to arrange their lives.”

About NATO and the threat from Russia

“US military spending is greater than the military spending of all countries in the world combined. The total military expenditures of NATO countries are 10 times, please note, 10 times greater than the military expenditures of the Russian Federation.”

“We have liquidated our bases in various regions of the world, including Cuba, Vietnam and so on. That is, our policy in this regard is not of some kind of global offensive, aggressive nature. Now take and publish a map of the world in your newspaper, put American military bases around the world on it, and you will feel the difference.”

“American submarines are on constant duty off the coast of Norway; the flight time to Moscow for missiles from these boats is 17 minutes. And we have long removed even all sorts of bases from Cuba that are not of strategic importance. And you want to say that we are behaving aggressively?”

“I want to tell you, there is nothing to be afraid of Russia. The world has changed so much that people in their right mind cannot imagine such a large-scale military conflict today. We have work to do, I assure you.”

About errors

L.Fontana: And the last question: what you regret most in your life that you think the mistake that you do not want to never repeat?

V.Putin: I will be absolutely frank with you, I cannot reproduce anything like that right now. Apparently, the Lord so built my life that I have nothing to regret.

Comment: You are a lucky man.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you, Lord.