Russian President Vladimir Putin said today that the international situation has worsened and that the world is becoming more dangerous, but did not mention the situation in Venezuela and Iran, Reuters reported, BTA reported.
Putin has not yet publicly commented on the US overthrow of President Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela, the protests in Iran or US President Donald Trump's threats against Greenland, Reuters points out.
"The situation on the international stage is getting worse and worse – I don't think anyone would dispute that – long-standing conflicts are intensifying and new serious conflict points are emerging“, Putin said with a smile.
"It is no coincidence that they say that peace does not come by itself, but is built, and every day. Peace requires effort, responsibility and conscious choice. And the relevance of this is obvious. Especially now, when the situation on the international arena is getting worse and worse. I think no one will argue with that," the Russian president added, quoted by TASS.
In a speech to the new ambassadors who presented their credentials in the Kremlin, in his first public statements on foreign policy this year, Putin did not explicitly mention the United States or Trump.
"We hear the monologue of those who, by the right of force, consider it permissible to impose their will, to lecture others and to issue orders," Putin said. "Russia is sincerely committed to the ideals of a multipolar world."
Putin called for a discussion of Russia's proposals for a new security architecture in Europe.
"We hope that recognition of this need will come sooner or later. Until then, Russia will continue to consistently pursue its goals."
The Russian president called on the international community to demand more insistent observance of international law, as well as to provide real support for the "emerging new multipolar world order".
The war in Ukraine, the deadliest in Europe since World War II, has sparked the biggest standoff between Russia and the West since the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, Reuters reports.
In connection with the Ukrainian crisis, the Russian president pointed out that it is a direct consequence of ignoring Russia's interests and creating threats to Russian security, TASS reported. As Putin emphasized, one must proceed from the fact that security must be truly comprehensive, which means that it must be for everyone and indivisible: it cannot be guaranteed for some at the expense of the security of others. "This principle is enshrined in the main international legal documents. Ignoring this basic, vital principle has never led and will never lead to anything good. This was clearly demonstrated by the crisis around Ukraine, which became a direct consequence of the long-standing ignoring of Russia's legitimate interests and the purposeful course towards creating threats to our security, towards advancing towards the Russian borders of the NATO bloc," the Russian leader noted.
In this regard, Putin pointed out that a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Ukraine must be achieved as soon as possible.
He recalled that Russia has repeatedly come up with initiatives to build a new, reliable and fair architecture of European and global security, TASS reports.
Putin stressed that Russia strives for a long-term peace that would guarantee the security of all, and hopes that Ukraine will also realize this.
Russia remains sincerely attached to the ideals of the multipolar world and will continue to pursue a balanced and constructive foreign policy line, as it has always done, Putin noted.
"Russia is sincerely attached to towards the ideals of a multipolar world. Our country has always pursued and will continue to pursue a balanced, constructive foreign policy course, taking into account both our national interests and objective trends in world development," the Russian leader assured.