Latest news with #Путин
LBCI
a day ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Putin says Russia has repeatedly informed Israel that Iran does not intend to acquire nuclear weapons
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with Sky News Arabia that Moscow has repeatedly informed Israel that Iran does not intend to develop nuclear weapons, according to a report Saturday by Russia's RIA Novosti news agency. Reuters
Russia Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Israel ‘almost a Russian-speaking country'
Russian President Vladimir Putin has emphasized Israel's large Russian-speaking population as one of the key factors in Moscow's approach to the ongoing Middle East conflict – alongside Russia's own Muslim population and traditionally friendly relations with the Islamic world. Speaking at the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on Thursday, Putin said those who question Russia's commitment to its partners are 'provocateurs' attempting to stir discord. The Russian leader underscored the complexity of the Iran-Israel conflict, cautioning against one-size-fits-all expectations of alliances. 'Every conflict is unique,' he said, outning Russia's nuanced relationships across the region. Putin highlighted the presence of nearly two million Russian-speaking residents in Israel. 'It is almost a Russian-speaking country today. And, undoubtedly, we always take this into account in Russia's contemporary history,' he said. At the same time, he emphasized Russia's 'friendly, trusting, and allied' relations with the Arab and Islamic world, which include 15% of Russia's own population and participation as an observer in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The Russian president reiterated his country's support for Iran's right to a peaceful nuclear program – stressing that this support is not merely rhetorical, but demonstrated through concrete cooperation. 'We defend Iran's right to peaceful nuclear energy not just in words, but in action,' he said. 'Despite all the complexity of the situation around Iran, we built a nuclear reactor in Bushehr... And despite all the challenges and certain risks, we continue this work.' Putin dismissed criticism that Russia should have done more to support Iran. 'Start some kind of combat operations, is that it?' he asked rhetorically. 'We already have combat operations going on against those whom we consider opponents of the ideas we defend and who pose a threat to the Russian Federation,' he added, noting that these opponents are 'far behind the frontline' and are 'basically the same forces – with Iran and in the case of Russia.' According to the Kremlin, Putin has a 'complete picture' of the situation, as one of the few leaders to speak directly with the heads of Israel, Iran, and the United States since the conflict flared up last week. In a late-night Q&A session on Wednesday, Putin told journalists that Moscow had proposed several compromise frameworks to all parties, suggesting that any potential settlement should include mutual security guarantees – protecting both Iran's right to peaceful nuclear technology and Israel's right to security. While reaffirming support for Iran's legitimate interests, Putin clarified on Friday that Russia is not seeking to act as a mediator in the Iran-Israel conflict. 'We are simply offering ideas. Should these proposals resonate with both nations, we would be pleased,' he said, adding that he sees potential 'points of contact' between Tehran and West Jerusalem.
CTV News
2 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Putin boasts about Russia's economy despite recession fears
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at a plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia, Friday, June 20, 2025. (Vyacheslav Viktorov/ Roscongress Foundation via AP) ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — President Vladimir Putin on Friday hailed Russia's economic outlook, saying it has managed to curb inflation and ease its reliance on energy exports. His optimistic account in a speech at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum contrasted with somber statements by some members of his government who warned at the same conference that Russia could face a recession. Economic Minister Maxim Reshetnikov had said Thursday that the country is 'on the brink of going into a recession.' Putin mentioned the recession warnings, but emphasized that 'it mustn't be allowed.' He pointed out that manufacturing industries have posted steady growth, allowing the country to reduce its reliance on oil and gas exports. 'The perception of Russian economy as based on raw materials and dependent on hydrocarbons exports have clearly become outdated,' Putin said, adding that the economy grew by 1.5% in the first four months of 2025 and inflation has dropped from double digits to 9.6%. Putin has used the annual forum to highlight Russia's economic prowess and encourage foreign investment, but Western executives have shunned it after Moscow sent troops into Ukraine in 2022, leaving it to business leaders from Asia, Africa and Latin America. The economy, hit with a slew of Western sanctions, has so far outperformed predictions. High defense spending has propelled growth and kept unemployment low despite fueling inflation. Large recruiting bonuses for military enlistees and death benefits for those killed in Ukraine also have put more income into the country's poorer regions. But over the long term, inflation and a lack of foreign investments pose threats to the economy. Economists have warned of mounting pressure on the economy and the likelihood it would stagnate due to lack of investment in sectors other than the military. Putin said the growth of military industries helped develop new technologies that have become available to the civilian sector. He vowed to continue military modernization, relying on lessons learned during the fighting in Ukraine. 'We will raise the capability of the Russian armed forces, modernize military infrastructure and equip the troops with cutting-edge equipment,' Putin said. The Associated Press
Arab News
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Russia's Putin calls for quick development of drone forces
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that drones had played a major role in the conflict in Ukraine and called for the rapid development and deployment of separate drone forces within the military. 'We are currently creating unmanned systems troops as a separate branch of the military and we need to ensure their rapid and high-quality deployment and development,' Russian news agencies quoted him as saying at a meeting on arms development. Drones have played a leading role for both sides in the more than three-year-old conflict pitting Moscow against Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has since the outbreak of the war in February 2022 stressed the importance of developing a domestic drone development and production industry. Putin told the second day of the gathering that Russia was well aware how Ukraine was dealing with the issue. 'But on the whole, I do not believe we are lagging behind on anything,' he was quoted as saying. 'More to the point, it seems to me we are bringing together good experience with a view to creating just such forces.' Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov proposed the creation of a drone force late last year, setting a target date of the third quarter of 2025. Putin also stressed developing air defenses, which he said had destroyed more than 80,000 targets during the conflict that Russia still calls a special military operation. 'In this respect, a new state armaments program must ensure the construction of a versatile air defense system capable of operating in any circumstances and efficiently striking air attack weapons, regardless of their type,' he said. On the opening day of the meeting, Putin called for due attention to be paid to the nuclear triad of land-based, sea-based and aircraft-launched weapons.
CNA
10-06-2025
- Business
- CNA
Russian MPs back new state messaging app to combat WhatsApp and Telegram
Russian lawmakers on Tuesday voted for the development of a state-backed messaging app that would be closely integrated with government services, as Moscow strives to reduce its dependency on platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram. Russia has long sought to establish what it calls digital sovereignty by promoting home-grown services. Its push to replace foreign tech platforms became more urgent as some Western companies pulled out of the Russian market following Moscow's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Anton Gorelkin, deputy head of the Russian parliament's information policy committee which wrote the draft legislation, said Russia's app would offer messaging and calls, as well as other functionality that Telegram and Meta Platforms' WhatsApp do not have. "The main competitive advantage of the platform will be the deep integration with government services," Gorelkin wrote on Telegram. The draft legislation must still pass through the upper house of parliament and be signed by President Vladimir Putin to become law. Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadayev last week proposed integrating government services with a national messaging app at a meeting with President Vladimir Putin, highlighting Russia's shortcomings compared to other countries in this area. He praised state-controlled technology company VK, whose VKontakte social media site is accessed by almost 80 million Russians every day, for developing home-grown services such as VK Video, a Russian rival to Alphabet's YouTube. VK has been spending heavily on producing content and improving its technical expertise to boost its audience, lurching to a 94.9-billion-rouble ($1.21 billion) loss in 2024. YouTube's audience in Russia has dropped sharply in the last year to fewer than 10 million daily users from more than 40 million in mid-2024, as slower download speeds have made it harder for people to access. Russian officials have blamed the slowdown on Google, accusing it of failing to invest in Russian infrastructure and criticising it for refusing to reinstate blocked Russian channels. YouTube has said the slowdown was not caused by any actions or technical issues on its side. Mikhail Klimarev, director of the Internet Protection Society, a Russian digital rights group, said on Telegram that he expected Russia to slow the speeds of WhatsApp and Telegram to make space for the new state messenger, which he has warned may violate personal freedoms. ($1 = 78.4205 roubles)
