During St. Petersburg International Economic Forum… The Russian president spoke about Ukraine and other international topics

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that all Ukrainian lands belong to Russia, based on his view that the citizens of both countries are one people.

This came in response to a question from an interviewer at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum about the Russian military’s advance into new areas in Ukraine beyond the borders of the areas to which Russia claims sovereignty.

Putin said, “I believe that the Russian and Ukrainian people are one people. From this perspective, all of Ukraine is ours… Wherever the Russian army sets foot, it’s ours”.

He pointed out that Russia is acting in accordance with existing realities, and with the presence of a significant number of Ukrainians seeking to ensure their sovereignty and independence, saying, “We don’t question the Ukrainian people’s right to independence and sovereignty”.

He added, “However, the foundations upon which Ukraine became an independent state were mentioned and included in the Declaration of Independence in 1991, which stated that Ukraine was a neutral state outside of blocs… It would be preferable if they returned to these principles upon which Ukraine gained its independence”.

Putin stated that Russia doesn’t seek to subjugate Ukraine, saying, “We demand acceptance of the facts on the ground”.

Speaking about the Russian military’s advance in Ukraine’s Sumy region, Putin said, “We must create a security zone along the border, because they (Ukrainian soldiers) are launching continuous attacks from there with artillery and drones”.

Speaking about the possibility of Ukraine using a “dirty bomb” against Russia, Putin said, “We’ve no information to confirm this… However, Ukraine’s use of a dirty bomb would be a grave mistake… Our nuclear doctrine requires us to respond in kind at all times… Our response to that would be extremely severe and disastrous for the neo-Nazi regime”.

In response to a question about the possibility of a third world war, Putin said, “I am concerned about this, and the likelihood is increasing… Especially when we take into account the military conflicts in Ukraine, events in the Middle East, developments in Iran, and other potential risks”.

He announced his intention to supply the Russian army with modern technology, saying, “We aim to develop military-technical cooperation with friendly countries… I’m not just talking about arms supplies or modernization, but also about joint projects, personnel training, and the establishment of turnkey projects and production facilities”.

Putin stated that Russia and China aren’t creating a new world order, but rather “we are merely formalizing it, because this change is happening naturally,” he said.

Commenting on Israel’s threat to assassinate Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the Russian president said, “I wish these words would remain just words”.

In his assessment of the conflict that began with violent Israeli attacks on Iran, Putin said, “On the one hand, Iran defends its right to enrich uranium and possess peaceful nuclear energy… On the other hand, Israel insists on ensuring its security… Solutions acceptable to both countries can be found”.

He stressed that they are in constant contact with both the Israeli and Iranian sides, saying, “We’ve proposals to resolve the issue… We aren’t acting as a mediator, but rather simply offering ideas… If these proposals are suitable for both sides, we would be happy to do so”.

Putin noted that Russia maintains friendly relations with Iran and supports its struggle for its interests, including in the field of peaceful nuclear energy.

He continued, “We built the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran… We reached an agreement to build two additional nuclear plants… Despite the difficulties and risks surrounding Iran, we are continuing our work in this direction… We won’t evacuate our employees from there”.

Putin noted that he raised the issue of the security of Russian experts at Iran’s nuclear power plant during his contacts with Israel and the United States.

He confirmed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed to this, and that US President Donald Trump had promised to meet these demands.

He added, “This means that we are directly supporting Iran”.

The Russian president also expressed concern about the situation surrounding Iran’s nuclear facilities.

He added that approximately two million people immigrated to Israel from the former Soviet Union and Russia, and said that Israel has now become a Russian-speaking country, a fact that Moscow takes into account.

Putin stressed that Russia has friendly relations, strategic partnerships, and alliances with the Arab and Islamic worlds.

For its part, Kyiv accused Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday of “disdain” for the peace process after he suggested his country might seize new territory in Ukraine, including the strategic city of Sumy.