Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that Moscow would no longer engage in “one-sided” dealings with Western nations, accusing them of repeated betrayals and hypocrisy regarding NATO expansion and the Ukraine conflict.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) summit in Minsk, Putin said that the West has consistently ignored Russia’s security concerns while accusing it of aggression. “They are turning everything upside down,” he said, according to Russian news outlet RT. “No one is talking about what led to the Russian special military operation [in Ukraine]. We were blatantly lied to about NATO’s intentions.”
Putin asserted that NATO’s narrative of Russian aggression is being used to justify an unprecedented increase in defence spending—up to 5% of member states’ GDP—announced during the recent NATO summit in The Hague.
He accused Western countries of backing separatist and terrorist groups, as long as they served anti-Russian purposes. “Everything was good as long as it was against Russia. They [the West] saw it as well. Yet, they only talk about our aggressiveness,” he remarked.
Putin’s comments come at a time of heightened tensions following NATO’s renewed commitment to strengthen military capabilities across Europe.
In a related development, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov downplayed NATO’s new military spending plans, asserting they pose no significant threat to Russia. “We know what goals we are pursuing… and they are absolutely legitimate,” Lavrov said at a press conference, reiterating Russia’s readiness for peace talks—provided that the core issues, such as NATO expansion and support for Ukraine, are addressed.
Lavrov also dismissed Western claims of a Russian threat as baseless, accusing NATO of using such narratives to justify increased military budgets and expansion toward Russian borders.
Moscow continues to deny any intention of attacking NATO countries, branding such allegations as “nonsense,” RT reported.
The Ukraine conflict began in 2023 following a large-scale assault by Russia, triggering widespread international condemnation and a dramatic shift in NATO’s military posture.
