7 Nov, 2024 20:52

HomeRussia & FSU

Western liberalism has ‘degenerated’ – Putin

The formerly dominant West has sacrificed principles for
power, the Russian president has said

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at the 21st annual Valdai International Discussion Club meeting
in Sochi, November 7, 2024. © Sputnik/Kristina Kormilitsyna

Liberalism in the West has devolved into an aggressive and intolerant

ideology in which freedom, democracy, and human rights take a back seat to
power, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said.

His remarks were part of a keynote address at the 21st annual meeting of the
Valdai International Discussion Club in Sochi on Thursday.

“Today's Western liberalism, in my opinion, has degenerated into extreme

intolerance and aggression towards any alternative, towards any sovereign
and independent thought, and now justifies neo-Nazism, terrorism, racism and
even mass genocide of the civilian population,” Putin said.
Moscow has traditionally considered the “collective West” to consist of the US
and its allies in North America, Europe, Australia and East Asia. Their once-
liberal governments have transformed their guiding ideology into
something “totalitarian in essence,” the Russian president argued.
“Democracy is increasingly being interpreted as minority rule rather than rule
of the majority, and traditional democracy is even being put at odds with some
abstract freedom, for the sake of which – as some believe – democratic
procedures, elections, the opinion of the majority, freedom of speech and
impartiality of the media can be disregarded, or even sacrificed,” said Putin.
The Russian president called this trend towards tyranny as one of the biggest
threats to the emerging multipolar world order.

The plenary session at which Putin spoke was titled ‘Security for Everyone.
Together – Into a New World’. This year’s Valdai meeting is taking place
under the motto ‘A Lasting Peace – On What Basis? Universal Security and
Equal Opportunities for Development in the 21st Century’.

Russia & Former Soviet Union

‘New world order, anachronistic NATO and courageous

Trump’: Highlights from Putin’s talk at the Valdai
forum
Published: 7 Nov 2024 | 21:47 GMT

Speaking just one day after the Republican candidate’s US

election victory, the Russian president explained Moscow’s
position on a range of global issues
Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech at the Valdai forum, November 7,
2024 © Sputnik / Vyacheslav Prokofyev
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Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed pressing global issues at Sochi’s
annual Valdai Club forum on Thursday. Interviewed by renowned foreign
affairs expert and RT contributor Fyodor Lukyanov, Putin delved into topics
ranging from NATO and international security to the ideological roots of
current global tensions, openly challenging Western policies and proposing a
multipolar vision for the future. Here are the major takeaways from Putin’s
remarks.
Putin congratulates ‘courageous’ Trump and expresses willingness
to engage with him
Putin addressed Donald Trump’s sensational US election victory, calling him
a “courageous” politician who has shown resilience despite apparent
assassination attempts and legal challenges. Putin said he is “ready to
talk” with the American president-elect.
READ MORE: Putin congratulates ‘courageous’ Trump

“We see him as a capable leader,” Putin said, praising Trump for continuing
his political career under what he characterized as “unfair scrutiny.” He
added that Trump’s foreign policy might offer a chance to reset US-Russia
relations, though he did not specify any specific agenda items that a future
dialogue might tackle. The president has previously noted his opposition to
the “anti-Russian” stance he perceives from the current US administration
and hopes Trump might pursue a “more constructive” path.
NATO is an ‘anachronism’ and at fault for the Ukraine conflict
Putin also took a direct shot at NATO, calling the transatlantic military
bloc “an anachronism” that he said serves to incite conflicts rather than
foster peace. According to the president, NATO’s expansionist policies were
the primary catalyst for the Ukraine conflict. He accused the organization of
overstepping its boundaries and creating “security imbalances” that
destabilize Eastern Europe.

In Putin’s words, “NATO is no longer a defensive alliance – it needs conflict to

justify its existence.” He argued that Western narratives ignore the bloc’s
role in escalating the Ukraine conflict, suggesting that Russia’s actions were
a necessary response to what he called its aggressive posturing. “They are
in need of a constant adversary to function; that’s what keeps NATO
alive,” Putin said, reiterating his long-standing position that its role in
Eastern Europe fundamentally threatens Russia’s security.
Neoliberalism branded a ‘totalitarian ideology’
Shifting to a broader critique of Western policies, Putin did not hold back in
his characterization of neoliberalism.

READ MORE: Western liberalism has ‘degenerated’ – Putin

“[It has] become a totalitarian ideology,” he stated, condemning the

economic and political model as one that enforces uniformity in ways he
claims stifle national sovereignty and traditional values. Putin’s remarks
seemed to be aimed not only at Western governments but also at
multinational corporations and international institutions that he sees as
embodying this worldview.

In his opinion, neoliberal policies lead to the erosion of individual national

cultures and impose “moral frameworks that are foreign to many
societies.” He stressed that the system seeks to undermine traditional
values, disparaging what he described as Western efforts to dictate moral
and political norms around the world. Putin highlighted Russia’s contrasting
vision, which he said is based on respect for cultural diversity and non-
interference in the domestic affairs of other nations. “There is no room for
difference in the neoliberal order,” he argued. “It seeks to flatten diversity
rather than celebrate it.”
A call for a ‘multipolar’ world order
In keeping with his criticism of the West, Putin portrayed a vision for a new
global order that would transcend what he called its “colonial” mindset. He
envisions a multipolar world where no nation feels “disadvantaged” or
relegated to a lesser role on the world stage. “In this new world order,” he
declared, “there should be no winners and losers.”

In Putin’s view, the Western-dominated unipolar system has exhausted itself,

resulting in a model that “only serves a small number of powerful elites.” He
elaborated on his call for a more “just and balanced” framework that
respects the interests of each nation, as Russia positions itself as a principal
advocate for a non-Westernized global order. He noted that countries in Asia,
Africa, and Latin America support this vision, and he welcomed what he
described as “a historical shift” in global power dynamics, citing
nations “pushing back against Western hegemony.”
Sanctions have backfired
READ MORE: World needs Russia – Putin

Putin also took the opportunity to address Western sanctions, arguing that
they have ultimately backfired, hurting their promoters as much as, if not
more than, Russia. “They thought they could cripple us,” he said, referencing
the extensive economic sanctions that followed the launch of the Ukraine
military operation in February 2022. “But the reality is different – their
economies are feeling the strain, and we’ve adapted.”

Putin suggested that Moscow has not only withstood the economic impact
but has seen opportunities for growth as a result. “These sanctions have
forced us to look inward, to focus on developing domestic industries,” he
stated. According to the president, they have bolstered Russia’s economy by
encouraging the nation to invest more in self-sufficient industries and
strengthen partnerships with non-Western nations like China and India. “We
are resilient,” he added, casting doubt on the West’s expectation that his
country would buckle under the weight of attempted economic isolation.
Western civilization ‘not an enemy’ of Russia
While much of Putin’s rhetoric was combative toward the West, he clarified
that Russia does not view Western civilization itself as an enemy. “Our
problem isn’t with Western culture,” he noted, “but with the aggressive
policies of their governments.” Putin stressed that he respects Western
culture and values the contributions that those countries have made to
human civilization.

Putin’s remarks suggested a differentiation between what he calls

the “colonial” and “hegemonic” actions of Western governments and the
culture of the bloc as a whole. He emphasized that Russia sees itself as part
of the global cultural community, one that values the “great achievements of
Western civilization” but resists its political overreach. “We’re not interested
in confrontation with the West,” Putin explained, “but we will always defend
our sovereignty and our way of life.”
Push for sovereign internet and artificial intelligence
READ MORE: Putin calls for Russia to become AI leader

Putin reiterated Russia’s ambition to maintain its digital independence

through a sovereign internet and homegrown artificial intelligence. He
argued that every nation should have its own control over these resources,
framing them as key components of national security. “Relying on foreign
technology for our digital infrastructure is a risk we can no longer
take,” Putin said.

Russia’s push for internet sovereignty reflects a broader desire to control the
information flow within its borders, as well as a reaction to what Putin
perceives as Western “data dominance.” The president proposed that AI
should also be developed domestically to avoid reliance on potentially hostile
nations. “Every country should have its own digital shield, a sovereign
internet that reflects its values,” he remarked, adding that AI “must not be
monopolized by a few players who impose their will on others.”
RT is ‘resistance’ and Russia’s only way of reaching the West

READ MORE: RT is ‘resistance’ – Putin

As one of the final points of his four-hour-long speech and Q&A session, Putin
addressed his alleged reluctance to give interviews to Western outlets,
noting that this wasn’t true and pointing to his interview with famous US
journalist Tucker Carlson earlier this year. He added, however, that he
doesn’t particularly want to address the population of countries whose
governments censor Russian journalists and outlets.

”Our journalists aren’t being allowed to work,” the Russian president

said. “They were shut down, placed under a bunch of restrictions” in both the
US and the EU. RT has remained the sole point of “resistance” in the West,
he added. “The Anglo-Americans have a worldwide network of media, we
don’t. But they still fear that one,” the Russian president said.
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7 Nov, 2024 17:15
HomeRussia & FSU

World needs Russia – Putin

Humanity is moving away from hegemony towards
multipolarity, the Russian president has said

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during the 'Security for Each and Everyone. Together
Into a New World' plenary session of the 21st annual meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club,
in Sochi, Krasnodar region, Russia. © Sputnik / Kristina Kormilitsyna

The world needs Russia and there is nothing Washington or Brussels can do
about it, President Vladimir Putin told the Valdai Forum on Thursday. America
and its allies are simply trying to go against the march of history as they
pursue their hegemonistic aspirations, he said.

“The flow of international politics is..... running counter to the aspirations of the
West,” Putin said. The world is moving away “from a fading hegemonistic
world towards a rising multipolarity.”
The “old hegemons” that had become accustomed to ruling over the world as
they did during colonial times see that they are no longer being listened to, the
president said. Putin also warned that the West’s beliefs about its own
exceptionalism could potentially “lead to a global tragedy.”
Calls by the US and its allies to inflict a “strategic defeat” on Russia – a nation
with one of the biggest nuclear arsenals – demonstrate the recklessness of
Western politicians that just goes beyond all bounds, the president stated,
warning the West against “blind faith in its own impunity.”
No one can guarantee that nuclear weapons won’t be used if the moral and
legal foundations of international relations are destroyed, Putin said. Attempts
by the West to keep its “elusive power” through the use of force would only
lead to global instability, tensions, casualties and destruction, he warned.
The policies of the Western elites cannot bring about the result they are
seeking, according to Putin. Instead, this constant race for world dominance
and its “liberal globalist messianism” only drain the power of their own nations
and “go against the true interests of the people in the US and the European
nations.”
Modern liberalism in the West has degenerated into its very opposite, the
Russian president believes. It is now characterized by “extreme intolerance
and aggression towards any alternative [views], to any independent
thought,” he said, adding that its proponents still “justify neo-Nazism,
terrorism, and racism, as well as the massive genocide of civilians.”
The West has also started treating democracy not as the majority rule but
minority rule, according to Putin. “Traditional democracy and the popular rule
are set against some abstract “freedom” that is apparently worth … sacrificing
the will of the majority, freedom of speech and media independence,” he said.
Unlike its opponents, Russia does not treat Western civilization as an enemy,
Putin stated. “We never say: you’re either with us, or against us’,” the
president said. “Our position is an open one,” he told the forum, adding that
Moscow is not planning to impose its worldview on anyone.
Russia acknowledges that the West is one of the key elements of the
international political system that has accumulated vast human, intellectual
and material resources, the president said. Yet, “any hegemonism is off the
table in the new international system,” he added. When Washington and its
allies finally accept this fact, a true era of constructive cooperation will follow,
Putin believes.
“I hope to God it will happen as soon as possible. It is in everyone’s interests,
including the interests of the West itself,” the president concluded.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is taking part in a plenary session at the 21st
Annual Meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club in Sochi this week.
The topic of the session is ‘Security for Everyone. Together – Into a New
World’. This year’s event is taking place under the motto ‘A Lasting Peace –
On What Basis? Universal Security and Equal Opportunities for Development
in the 21st Century’.

7 Nov, 2024 18:57

HomeRussia & FSU

Putin calls for Russia to become AI leader

The Russian president has compared artificial intelligence to
nuclear fission

© Getty Images / Black_Kira

Sitting out the artificial intelligence development race is not an option for
Russia, President Vladimir Putin has said.

Putin commented on the technology in response to a question at Thursday’s

plenary session of the Valdai Discussion Forum, an annual event in the
Russian city of Sochi.

“I think it’s impossible to ban it. It will find a way, especially when there is
competition – and competition is growing,” Putin told the audience. Moscow is
inclined to regulate AI instead of trying to prohibit its use, he summarized.
“The development of AI is inevitable, and here we can be among the leaders,
given the advantages we have,” the Russian president added.
Leading the development of AI are online platforms founded in the West,
which have a tendency to shape the views of their users, Putin noted.

“We need to understand this and develop our own, sovereign, AI – using
everything we have,” the Russian president said.
Putin compared the AI debate to the upsides and downsides of the nuclear
age. Using the atom peacefully for generating energy, in medicine and for
transportation already happens and is likely to expand, given climate change
concerns, the Russian leader said.

“But there are also nuclear weapons, a massive threat to humanity,” he

added.
Western leaders could cause ‘global tragedy’ – Putin
Published: 7 Nov 2024 | 20:46 GMT

No one can guarantee that continued escalation won’t lead

to nuclear war, the Russian president has warned
FILE PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin © Sputnik / Kristina Kormilitsyna
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The world is teetering on the brink of a catastrophe, Russian President
Vladimir Putin warned on Thursday. The US and its allies have grown reckless
in their attempts to retain global dominance and no one can be sure that
nuclear weapons will not be used at some point in the future, he told the
Valdai International Discussion Club in Sochi.

Calls by Western nations to inflict a “strategic defeat” on Russia – which

possesses the biggest nuclear arsenal – demonstrate the “recklessness of
the Western politicians that goes beyond all bounds,” Putin said, referring to
the stance some Western leaders have taken on the conflict between
Moscow and Kiev, in which the US and its allies have actively supported
Ukraine.
“Blind faith in their own impunity and exceptionalism could lead to a global
tragedy,” the Russian leader warned. According to Putin, the “old
hegemons” that got used to ruling over the world still seek to impose their
will on the rest of humanity.
“Attempts to retain their elusive power through the use of force only lead to
global instability, rising tensions, casualties and destruction,” Putin warned.
Humanity already possesses weapons that could ensure “mutual
destruction,” with the number of nuclear powers growing, he added.

READ MORE: NATO rival warns of new

‘nuclear arms race’

“No one can guarantee that… [those weapons] won’t be used” if tensions
grow exponentially and all the moral and legal foundations of international
relations are destroyed, the president said.
Putin then called on Western nations to accept their role as one of the “key
elements” of a just multipolar world and abandon hegemonistic aspirations,
adding that a policy of force will not help them achieve the “absolute
power” Western elites are seeking.
Russia does not treat the West as its enemy and would be ready to
cooperate once a genuinely equal and just international world order is built,
the president said.

Putin’s comments came during a plenary session at the 21st Annual Meeting
of the Valdai International Discussion Club in Sochi this week. The topic of
the session is ‘Security for Everyone. Together – Into a New World’. This
year’s event is taking place under the motto ‘A Lasting Peace – On What
Basis? Universal Security and Equal Opportunities for Development in the
21st Century’.