Russian President Putin has stated that Russia may lift its self-imposed restrictions on the development of medium- and short-range missiles and will keep its non-strategic nuclear forces on high alert. He warned that the West is pushing Moscow toward 'a red line from which we cannot retreat.'
On Monday, Putin expressed his concerns about the U.S. deployment of medium- and short-range missiles abroad during a speech to the Ministry of Defense and warned that NATO's ambitions have already 'exceeded its historical responsibility zone.'
He added that in response to the U.S. deployment of medium- and short-range missiles in Europe and Asia, Russia will accelerate the production of hypersonic weapons, such as the new 'Oreshnik' ballistic missile that was launched at Ukraine for the first time last month.
Andrei Belousov, who was appointed as Defense Minister in the cabinet reshuffle in May this year, told the same audience that the Russian military needs to prepare for mid-term scenarios, including 'potential military conflicts with NATO in Europe over the next ten years.'
European leaders have been warning since the beginning of this year that, in addition to continuing its offensive in Ukraine, Russia is preparing for a broader conflict with the Western military alliance.
But Putin stated that the claim that Russia poses a threat to the European continent is an 'absurd claim' and blamed any escalation of the conflict on the United States and its European allies.
He accused the U.S. of providing weapons to Ukraine, including advanced Western weapons capable of launching strikes deep into Russian territory, thereby 'encouraging Ukraine to escalate the conflict further.'
Putin stated that Russia has gained the upper hand on the battlefield this year, capturing 189 towns, making 2024 a 'milestone' for achieving its military objectives. He said that driven by a record budget expenditure of 13.5 trillion rubles (approximately $130 billion) next year, Russia's defense industry has helped enhance military strength through the development of new missile guidance systems and the production of new attack drones.
Putin stated that Russia is also maintaining its forces by recruiting about 1,000 volunteers for combat each day. He added that this year Russia has recruited 430,000 people, compared to 300,000 a year ago, which has helped Russia reverse the situation against the Ukrainian army, which is outnumbered and under-equipped.
But Putin acknowledged that the current level of defense spending cannot be 'unlimited' at the expense of other priorities such as science, education, and healthcare. He stated that Russia is taking 'additional measures to ensure our safety and that of our allies,' but hopes to avoid 'being dragged into a full-scale arms race at the expense of our country's socio-economic development.'
On the same day, U.S. President-elect Trump held a press conference at his private club Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, where he discussed the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Trump stated that Zelensky should be prepared to reach an agreement with Putin to end the nearly three-year-long Russia-Ukraine conflict. 'An agreement must be reached,' he said.
Trump stated that he is disturbed by the images of the atrocities in the conflict. 'It (the conflict) must stop,' Trump said.
When asked if he thinks Ukraine should cede territory to Russia as part of a negotiated solution to end the conflict, Trump did not give a direct answer.
Trump has stated that he hopes to end this conflict quickly, but has always been cautious about the details. In an interview last week with (Time) magazine, he said he has a 'very good plan' to help, but if he reveals it now, 'it will become almost worthless.'
The article is forwarded from: Jin Ten Data