Putin warns NATO: Consider the cost before strikes on Russia
5 Min Read
Putin has issued a cautionary statement directed at certain NATO member states, urging them to consider the ramifications of their proposals suggesting that Kiev initiate strikes on Russian territory.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin attends his annual news conference in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, December 14, 2023 (AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin cautioned certain NATO member states to understand the implications of their suggestions regarding allowing Kiev to initiate strikes on Russian territory.
"These representatives of NATO countries, especially in Europe, especially in small countries, they should be aware of what they are playing with. They should remember that this is usually a state with a small territory and a very dense population. This is a factor they should keep in mind before striking deep into Russian territory," Putin said during a press conference following his visit to Uzbekistan.
In his remarks, the Russian President emphasized that Moscow is closely observing such remarks. Putin further addressed NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg's comments regarding potential strikes, stating that Stoltenberg should recognize the indispensable role of space-based reconnaissance for deploying high-precision long-range weaponry.
Read next: Ukraine, NATO pressuring US to allow missile strikes on Russia
Putin: Russia Aware of Western Military Instructors Dying in Ukraine
Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, linked the losses experienced by Western military personnel in Ukraine to the declaration made by the head of NATO that certain Western states would permit Ukraine to utilize the weapons they had supplied to launch a deep assault into Russia.
"As to the question on high-precision weapons: who helps to operate and maintain these weapons? The instructors who pretend to be mercenaries… They are present and they are suffering losses. Perhaps, this statement shows that it becoming harder for them to hide this," Putin told reporters.
The president declared that Russia knew about Western military instructors working in Ukraine under the pretense of being foreign mercenaries.
"We are well aware of the fact. It’s no news. The Ukrainian military says they [Western forces] may arrive [in Ukraine] but they have been present there for a long time. We hear people speaking on radio in English, French and Polish. We know that they are there," he said.
Putin issued a warning, saying that once the Polish regular army entered Ukraine, they would never leave.
"If European countries’ armed forces were to come alongside the Poles, they would leave, while the Poles would never leave… It is an obvious thing. At least for me," the president told a press conference.
According to the president, Western nations that intended to send soldiers to Ukraine would be intensifying the war and moving it one step closer to a worldwide battle. Additionally, he issued a warning that Russian strikes would be justified in targeting foreign soldiers.
"I don’t think that it is a good decision and a viable way out. It is an escalation and another step toward a serious European conflict and a global conflict," Putin said.
Regarding the likelihood of peace in Ukraine, the president of Russia stated that if the nation's military and government were led by the interests of Ukraine as a whole, the two nations would have long ago worked out a solution to the conflict.
Russian officials assess Taliban status amid diplomatic discussions
Regarding Afghanistan, Putin revealed that there are ongoing discussions regarding the status of the Taliban in Russia, considering its UN sanctions for terrorism, along with deliberations about potentially delisting it as a terrorist organization.
"This is being discussed all the time. I am not going to comment on that now, because our relations with the Taliban and Afghanistan are in the spotlight now," Putin said.
The Russian leader added that when it comes to delisting the Taliban as a terrorist organization, Moscow considers the stance of each of its partners.
"We are in contact with many of our partners, including our partners in Central Asia. We take into account the opinion of each of our partners and friends, and we will formulate our position [regarding the Taliban] together," he stressed.
In the same context, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated on Monday that the Taliban movement holds genuine authority in Afghanistan, and considerations to remove it from Russia's list of banned organizations align with this reality.
Subsequently, Special Russian Presidential Envoy for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, highlighted that the Taliban's terrorist organization status in Russia hinders the progress of relations between Moscow and Kabul.
It is worth noting that the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan on August 15, 2021, after the US-led military force withdrew from the country.
In the 20 years during which the NATO-led coalition invaded Afghanistan, the Southern-Central Asian country has suffered tremendous destruction at unprecedented levels, leaving it crippled by an excruciating economic crisis and sporadic terror attacks spearheaded by ISIS-K.
The war-torn nation has sought to recover from the damage by forging alliances with global powers, including China and Russia.
Since then, trade between Russia and Afghanistan has markedly surged in recent years, rising from $170 million in 2022 to over $1 billion presently.
Read more: Taliban praises Moscow plans to remove movement from terror list
