In a disturbing speech using bellicose rhetoric, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday challenged the West to defeat Russia "on the battlefield" in Ukraine, where, he said, Moscow has no “not started the serious things yet”.
“Today we hear that they want to defeat us on the battlefield.
What to say ?
Let them try!
“Said Vladimir Putin during a meeting with the leaders of the groups of the lower house of Parliament, broadcast on television.
“We have heard many times that the West wants to fight us to the last Ukrainian.
This is a tragedy for the Ukrainian people.
But it seems that everything is heading in this direction,” he continued, seeming to imply that the West was indeed the real enemy of Russia and not the Ukrainian people.
"The Serious Things"
These martial declarations come as the United States and European countries have in recent weeks accelerated arms deliveries to the kyiv army, which is trying to curb the advance of Russian forces in eastern Ukraine.
Read alsoWar in Ukraine: are the Ukrainians losing control in the east of the country?
“Everyone should know that we have not yet started serious things” in Ukraine, launched the master of the Kremlin during this speech, one of the toughest in weeks, without however announcing an expansion of the operation military or other concrete initiatives.
“At the same time, we do not refuse peace negotiations.
But those who refuse them should know that the longer (they will refuse), the more difficult it will be for them to negotiate with us,” the Russian president added.
Using rhetoric reminiscent of that of the Soviet leaders during the Cold War, Vladimir Putin also denounced Western "totalitarian liberalism" and considered that the offensive in Ukraine marked the beginning of a transition from a world marked by "globalized egocentrism American towards a truly multipolar world”.
"In most countries, people don't want such a life or such a future," he said.
“They are tired of getting down on their knees and humiliating themselves in front of those who think they are exceptional,” he finally said.
