Russian President Vladimir Putin took part on Thursday in a long session of the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi. For almost four hours he spoke on a wide range of topics, alternating between a keynote address, exchanges with the audience and answers to questions. The subjects were among the most pressing of current affairs: the war in Ukraine, relations with the United States, the transformation of the world order, and what he described as the decline of the West.
According to Putin, the world is undergoing “rapid and drastic changes,” and the rise of a multipolar order is the direct result of Western hegemonic policies. “Multipolarity,” he said, “is the response to attempts to build a global hierarchy with the West at the top. The failure of this project was only a matter of time.”
The Russian president criticized the Western model of democracy, describing electoral procedures as little more than a “farce.” As an example, he cited Romania, where in 2024 the Constitutional Court annulled the presidential elections over irregularities and foreign interference. He also accused institutions such as the OSCE of becoming politicized, and claimed that the European Union is no longer the “civilizational center” it once was.
Responding to accusations that Russia intends to attack Europe or NATO, Putin replied sarcastically: “Relax, sleep well, or deal with your own problems.” In his view, the real issues Europe should be tackling are the migration crisis and economic difficulties.
On the military front, he reiterated that Russia cannot afford weakness. The war in Ukraine, he argued, has transformed the Russian army into one of the most combat-ready forces in the world, capable of adapting quickly. “If we are at war with the entire NATO bloc,” he said, “we must be confident in ourselves. And we are.”
Putin also engaged in polemics. He accused France of “piracy” after the seizure of a tanker suspected of belonging to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” used to bypass sanctions. He downplayed the incident as a distraction from France’s domestic problems, but warned that at sea the risk of clashes “will grow sharply.”
Regarding Donald Trump’s remark that Russia is a “paper tiger,” Putin said he believed it was meant ironically. He insisted that the reality on the ground proves otherwise, pointing to the losses inflicted on the Ukrainian army. At the same time, he welcomed the attitude of the current U.S. president, who he said has shown a willingness to listen to Moscow’s arguments.
On weapons deliveries, Putin warned against the possible supply of Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine. Such a move, he said, would not change the outcome of the conflict but would mark “a new stage of escalation,” raising the risk of direct U.S. involvement.
Finally, Putin commented on the assassination of American conservative activist Charlie Kirk, shot dead by a sniper in Utah. He called it “a despicable crime” and a sign of the deep divisions that are tearing U.S. society apart today.
