Putin says Russia stands alone against West

(MENAFN) President Vladimir Putin has claimed that Russia is engaged in an "existential war" against the collective West and is essentially standing alone in the conflict. His remarks were featured in the newly released documentary "Russia. Kremlin. Putin. 25 Years", aired by Rossiya-1 to mark the 25th anniversary of Putin’s first presidential inauguration on May 7, 2000.

In the film, which includes extended conversations with journalist Pavel Zarubin, Putin addressed both the ongoing war in Ukraine and the broader geopolitical standoff between Russia and Western nations. He asserted that the West has long acted deceptively toward Moscow, ignoring Russian security concerns and undermining the country's sovereignty.

"From the very beginning of the 2000s, it was clear that the West spoke one way but acted another," Putin said, adding that this duplicity contributed to the current crisis. According to him, the West believed Russia had been weakened following the fall of the Soviet Union and intended to dismantle it further. "They saw the Russian Federation as the last major remnant that needed to be broken into pieces," he stated.

Putin emphasized that he took office determined to prevent such a fate for Russia. He reiterated that Moscow views the Ukraine conflict as a proxy war orchestrated by the West, with Ukrainians being used as expendable forces. The Russian leadership has blamed NATO’s expansion and military collaboration with Ukraine for inflaming the situation.

He concluded by labeling the confrontation with the West as an existential struggle, echoing statements by Western officials. In March, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio referred to the war as "a proxy conflict between nuclear powers" and urged the West to rethink its commitment to supporting Kiev "for as long as it takes."

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