Putin has once again accused Western countries of running a “Russophobic machine” to undermine Russia’s political system.
Putin said the Russian people would remain united and resilient in the face of economic sanctions, diplomatic isolation and political pressure in a speech to the nation.
Putin said in his speech that Western countries have tried for years to undermine Russia through economic restrictions, media campaigns and international alliances. And that those efforts have failed to shake the country’s determination or weaken its national identity.
Putin claimed the Russian people won't ever be broken, and that Russia has overcome hard challenges such as wars, economic hardship and foreign pressure in the past too.
He said the country's strength is in the way it stands: it is united, it is culturally united, it is determined to fight for its interests.
The comments come at a time when relations between Russia and Western countries are still tense. Moscow has since the Ukrainian conflict begun faced many rounds of sanctions by the United States, European Union, the United Kingdom and other allies.
Those sanctions have hit Russia’s financial institutions, energy sector, defense industry and top leaders.
Even with the sanctions, Russian officials continue to insist that the country’s economy has adapted to changing global conditions.
Moscow has developed long-term trade ties with countries across Asia, the Middle East and Africa and is investing in domestic industries to reduce dependency on Western imports for their economy to make it less dependent on Western products.
Putin also accused Western governments of spreading anti-Russian sentiment, and of political leaders and media outlets spreading what he called “Russophobia.” He said such moves aim to isolate Russia internationally and influence public opinion against the country.
But Western governments say their actions are directed at Russia's government and military policies rather than its citizens.
They have argued sanctions and diplomatic actions are responses to Russia's military operations in Ukraine and are aimed at a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
The world experts believe Putin’s latest remarks are aimed at building up domestic support by stressing national unity in a time of continued geopolitical tensions. Similar speeches have often stressed Russia’s robustness and outside criticism has been viewed as an effort to subvert the country’s sovereignty.
The latest statement is expected to be commented on globally and by political leaders, given the strained relations with Russia and the West.
Both sides have to be criticized but we do not see that relations can improve substantially in the near future.
As geopolitical tensions continue Putin’s message reflects the Kremlin’s long-standing narrative that Russia is under coordinated external pressure but capable of overcoming it.
How these words will impact diplomatic developments or public opinion around the world is yet to be determined, but they do show the divisions that are still present in the world.
