Putin’s speech at the Valdai Forum. Main

The meeting of the Valdai Club takes place in Sochi from October 2 to October 5. The topic is “Fair multipolarity: how to ensure security and development for all.” One of the key events was the speech of Vladimir Putin, in which he, in particular, called for the construction of a new world and discussed the image of the future. The main points of the president’s speech are in the Kommersant selection.

• We are faced with the task of building a new world.
• Ukrainian crisis this is not a territorial conflict. We have no interest in conquering additional territories; we still have to develop Western Siberia, Eastern Siberia, etc.
• History of the West – this is a chronicle endless expansion. Western influence in the world is a huge military-financial pyramid.
• A certain part of the Western elites always needs an enemy – the world is driven into the confrontation “us or them”, this is the vicious culture of the 20th century. From India, from the Arab world, even from Muslims in general, they are trying to create an enemy. Anyone who behaves independently becomes an obstacle for Western elites to remove.
• The United States is imposing its economic line on Europe, and they are trying to replace international law with some rules. This is some kind of nonsense, nonsense.
• All the time it sounds: “You must,” “You are obliged,” “We are seriously warning you.” Who are you anyway?
• The concept of civilization for Russia is a multifaceted phenomenon, none of them is worse or better than others, they are equal. The main principles of development are diversity and self-sufficiency. The modern world is alien to any unification.
• Humanity is moving not towards fragmentation and bloc confrontation, but, on the contrary, towards synergy.
• Russian civilization cannot be reduced to a common denominator; it cannot be divided.
• We want to live in an open, interconnected world without artificial barriers to communication and creativity. We want to live in diversity, without imposing how to live.
• The world of the future is a world of collective decisions. Not one person decides for everyone or everyone decides about everything, but only those who are directly affected by these issues.
• We are for everyone’s safety.
• We are for justice for all.
• We are for equality, for the difference in the potential of different countries.
• Harmony in the security sphere is achievable; a number of countries simply need to put aside their pride and stop looking at others as outcasts.

About the economy, defense and sanctions

• The budget deficit in Russia at the end of the year is expected to be around 1%, and for 2024-2025 also around 1%.
• In Russia, spending on defense and security has approximately doubled, now about 6% of GDP.
• The Russian Federation budget can and will cope with the implementation of the SVO in the future.

About the conflict in Karabakh

• For 15 years, Russia has offered Armenia to compromise and return five territories of Karabakh to Azerbaijan and keep two for itself, but they refused.