NATO rearmament, Iran-Israel conflict and German involvement in Ukraine: Key takeaways from Putin’s Q&A

The Russian president held a late-night press conference on the sidelines of SPIEF 2025

RT ©  Sputnik / Alexander Demianchuk

Russian President Vladimir Putin has touched upon a wide range of topics – from Europe’s military posture and the Ukraine conflict, to the Middle East crisis and global diplomacy – in an unscripted Q&A session with international media.

Here are the key takeaways from Putin’s meeting with journalists from Vietnam, China, Indonesia, Germany, Kazakhstan, Spain, Türkiye, Belarus, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan, as well as representatives of AFP, AP, and Reuters, which began shortly before midnight and continued into early Thursday morning.

Ukraine conflict and peace prospects

Putin reiterated that Russia’s military involvement in Ukraine was triggered by the West’s refusal to acknowledge Moscow’s legitimate security concerns and failure to compel Kiev to uphold past agreements and protect the Russian-speaking population in Donbass.

The Russian president expressed willingness to resume peace talks but insisted that any agreement must be signed by a legitimate Ukrainian government – a direct jab at Vladimir Zelensky, whose presidential term expired more than a year ago. He noted that peace proposals developed during the 2022 Istanbul talks – later derailed by Ukraine’s Western backers who sought to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia – can still serve as a framework, but only if the new reality on the ground is taken into account.

“As I warned, the situation is going to get worse – so it got worse for them. Now we are not talking about Donetsk and Lugansk, but about two more subjects of the Russian Federation, and Crimea, of course. Let’s discuss this,” Putin stated.

Under renewed direct talks in Türkiye, Kiev and Moscow have agreed on several major prisoner exchanges, and communication channels between Russian and Ukrainian envoys remain open. Nevertheless, Putin warned that absent a genuine willingness from Ukraine and its Western backers to drop unrealistic demands and pursue a negotiated settlement, Russia will continue to pursue its objectives through military means.

NATO rearmament and fearmongering

Asked about NATO’s growing military budgets and rearmament drive, Putin dismissed the idea that Russia poses a threat to the US-led military bloc as “nonsense.” He argued that Russia is fully capable of defending itself and continues to modernize its armed forces with far lower budgets. Western claims that Russia plans to attack NATO countries, he said, are a “deliberate fabrication” designed to manipulate public opinion and conceal domestic failures.

He accused Western leaders of using the “Russia scarecrow” to justify inflated defense spending and likened their rhetoric to Nazi-era propaganda, citing Joseph Goebbels’ dictum: “The more monstrous the lie, the more likely people are to believe it.”

Putin warned that this kind of military posturing only escalates global tensions while diverting resources from social and economic development. He cited Germany’s economic stagnation and the decline of energy-intensive industries as self-inflicted consequences of its decision to decouple from Russian energy.

Berlin derailing relations with Moscow

The Russian leader expressed skepticism about Germany’s potential role as a peace broker in the Ukraine conflict, saying Berlin has lost its neutrality. He pointed to the presence of German Leopard tanks on internationally recognized Russian territory as proof that Germany is no longer a mere supporter but has become a “co-combatant.” Berlin’s potential deliveries of Taurus missiles to Kiev, he warned, would not shift the military balance but would “completely destroy” any remaining trust.

Responding to remarks by newly appointed Chancellor Friedrich Merz about being open to dialogue, Putin said Moscow was not the one to break off communication with Berlin and suggested that Merz is welcome to call if he is serious.

He also accused Berlin of sabotaging its own economy by cutting energy ties with Russia. “Volkswagen is dying, Porsche is dying… For what?” Putin said, questioning the logic behind Germany’s economic decisions.

Trump knows costs of anti-Russia moves

Asked about US President Donald Trump’s claims that the Ukraine conflict “would never have happened” under his leadership, Putin responded that Trump is “probably right.” He praised Trump’s transactional approach to politics, noting that as a businessman, he “can count the costs” and understands the economic consequences of international decisions. This, Putin said, makes him more pragmatic than previous administrations.

Putin expressed openness to further contact and future meetings with Trump, provided they are well-prepared and result in “positive outcomes.” 

“The track is well chosen,” he said, referencing several phone conversations. “We have great respect for his intention to restore relations with Russia in many areas, both in the field of security and economic activity.”

Iran-Israel conflict

Putin stressed that Russia firmly opposes any further escalation between Iran and Israel. Asked what Moscow would do in the event of the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, Putin refused to even entertain the notion, calling it a “scenario I won’t even discuss.”

Putin added that Moscow has not been asked to intervene militarily in the conflict and sees no reason to alter its current stance. While Russia previously delivered air defense systems to Iran, he said Tehran has shown “little interest” in broader cooperation. 

Instead, Putin advocated for mutual security guarantees to protect both Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear technology and Israel’s right to security. He said Moscow has put forward several compromise frameworks to all stakeholders – including the US, Israel, and Iran – adding that he holds out hope that diplomacy will prevail.