The Russian president says Moscow has ‘no curiosity … to combat with NATO nations’.
The Russian president has dismissed the USA’s claims that Moscow might assault a NATO nation sooner or later as “full nonsense”, saying such a battle would run counter to his nation’s pursuits.
Vladimir Putin made the assertion in an interview with Russian state TV on Sunday, weeks after US President Joe Biden warned that if Putin achieved victory in Ukraine, he is perhaps emboldened to assault a NATO ally, sparking a 3rd world struggle.
“It’s full nonsense – and I feel President Biden understands that,” Putin instructed state tv channel Rossiya.
“Russia has no purpose, no curiosity – no geopolitical curiosity, neither financial, political nor navy – to combat with NATO nations.”
Putin added that Biden could also be making an attempt to stoke such fears to justify his “faulty coverage” within the area.
US-Russia relations have sunk to their lowest degree in many years since Moscow invaded neighbouring Ukraine in February 2022.
All through the 22-month struggle, the US has offered Ukraine with $111bn in weapons, tools, and different support, serving to the Ukrainians fend off Russia’s advance and regain some territory.
Biden favours sending much more help to war-torn Ukraine, which is operating brief on provides because it grinds to a bloody winter stalemate.
He has requested US Congress to approve $61.4bn in help for Ukraine as half of a bigger $110bn package deal that features extra funds for Israel and different points.
Nonetheless, there may be waning urge for food within the Congress for the lingering struggle. Some Republican lawmakers have blocked the help package deal, demanding the White Home first take motion on border safety.
Biden on December 12 said right-wing lawmakers’ refusal to approve the package deal additionally risked handing President Putin a “Christmas present” of victory.
“Putin is banking on the USA failing to ship for Ukraine,” Biden stated throughout a information convention with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. “We should … show him unsuitable.”
Tensions with Finland
Whereas Putin dismissed the prospect of a direct NATO feud, he did handle tensions with neighbouring Finland because it joined the alliance.
Finland, which grew to become a NATO member in April, on Friday shut down its whole japanese border with Russia, which it accuses of orchestrating a migrant disaster on its border.
Putin stated he would reply to the deteriorating ties by opening up a navy zone in its northwest.
“They [the West] dragged Finland into NATO. Did we’ve got any disputes with them? All disputes, together with territorial ones within the mid-Twentieth century, have lengthy been solved,” Putin stated.
“There have been no issues there. Now there can be [problems] as a result of we’ll create the Leningrad navy district and focus a specific amount of navy models there.”