‘Question of Faith’
Putin reiterated an earlier charge that the West was “exploiting” Ukraine and using its people as “cannon fodder” in the conflict with Russia, and said the West needed to maintain its global dominance. Desire was increasing the risk.
“They deliberately stir up chaos and escalate the international situation,” Putin said in a video message to a summit of defense ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and a group of former Soviet states.
He later particularly criticized France and Germany, which mediated a ceasefire agreement between Kiev and Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine in 2014 and 2015, saying they had betrayed Moscow by supplying arms to Ukraine. .
Putin said, “The question of trust arises. And of course trust is almost at zero… But still, in the final analysis we have to come to agreements. I have already said many times that we are ready for these agreements “
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin criticized Putin on Friday as he expressed concern about Russia’s growing nuclear arsenal. His remarks came hours after Putin vowed that any country that dared to attack Russia with nuclear weapons would be wiped off the face of the earth.
“As the Kremlin continues its brutal and unprovoked war of choice against Ukraine, the whole world has watched Putin engage in irresponsible nuclear swordsmanship,” said Austin, who oversees America’s nuclear forces. does.
prisoner swap
Yet in a reminder that, despite the hostilities, Russia maintains lines of communication with the West, Moscow on Thursday freed American basketball player Brittany Griner in exchange for the release of Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
A plane carrying Griner landed in the United States early Friday, nearly 10 months after he was detained in Russia on drug charges, while television images showed Bout embraced by his mother and wife after landing in Moscow .
Putin said further prisoner swaps were possible and the White House said it would work to secure the release of US Marine Corps veteran Paul Whelan, who was convicted of espionage in a trial in 2020 that US diplomats called It was said to be unfair and opaque.
Separately, Russian and US diplomats met in Istanbul on Friday to discuss a range of technical issues in their strained ties, both sides confirmed, although the Ukraine war was not part of those talks.