Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced even before Russian President Vladimir Putin took the stage at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum that his speech would be long. Putin did indeed speak for over an hour about the economic situation of Russia, the opportunities and challenges facing the country's economy. He stated that the risk of recession or stagnation must be avoided at all costs.
Even after the speech, Putin addressed questions about the war, writes ARD correspondent Frank Eichmann. His messages were not much different from the well-known ones, but this time his tone was much more bellicose.
"Ukraine belongs to us"
When asked how far Russian troops would go in Ukraine, Putin replied: "This is not a proverb, not a parable, but an old rule - wherever a Russian soldier sets foot, it is ours."
"I have said many times that I believe that Russians and Ukrainians are one people. In this sense, Ukraine belongs to us," he added.
Putin also commented on the advance of Russian troops in northeastern Ukraine. According to him, in the Sumy region they have already advanced ten to twelve kilometers. "We have no plans to take Sumy. But in principle I do not rule it out", said the Russian president.
"We do not want Ukraine to capitulate"
One of the Russian president's statements about the Ukrainians definitely sounds like extreme cynicism, commented ARD: "We do not want Ukraine to capitulate, but we insist on recognizing the real situation on the front", said Putin. This in itself means a kind of capitulation - the Russian leader continues to insist, without leaving any room for compromise, that Ukraine must give up not only the Crimean peninsula, but also the four illegally annexed regions. Of course, Putin is aware that the Ukrainian president cannot simply give up his territories. Putin himself has not given any indication that he plans to end the war, international publications comment.
The aggressive comments on Ukraine come from a politician who has repeatedly said that the security of one country cannot be guaranteed at the expense of the security of another country. Of course, the fault lies with the others - the West, NATO, a threat to Russian interests. And so it came to war. A war that was never officially declared, and in Russia they continue to call it a "special military operation", recalls Frank Eichmann.
Russian work at the Iranian nuclear power plant will continue
Putin also commented on the war between Israel and Iran, ARD writes. The Russian president called for an end to the attacks and negotiations. He also said he was in contact with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump regarding the Bushehr nuclear power plant, whose first reactor Russia is expanding with two more units.
"Given that Iran is allowed to use nuclear energy in a peaceful manner and that we are acting absolutely within the framework of international norms, we demand that the safety of our employees be ensured," Putin said. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu agreed with this, and Trump also promised to support Russia's "legitimate demands."
Despite the complex situation, the work of the Iranian Bushehr nuclear power plant will continue. About 600 Russian citizens work there, and they will not be evacuated, the Russian president announced. Finally, Putin switched to more bellicose rhetoric, saying that anyone who claims that Russia is not a reliable ally of Iran is simply a provocateur.
International Economic Forum Without International Interest
And although Putin highlights his communication with Trump, there has been no particular progress in bilateral relations between Moscow and Washington, commented Ivan Nechepurenko in the "New York Times".
The diplomatic missions of both countries are still with limited staff, and some consulates are still closed. There have been no tangible changes in terms of the return of American companies to Russia or the lifting of sanctions.
The St. Petersburg conference, an annual event promoted by the Kremlin as a magnet for Western companies, has become a platform on which Russian state-owned companies present themselves. This year too, no major American investors have appeared and there have been no signs of interest from the West, Nechepurenko added.
Author: Frank Eischmann