Putin Says No More Wars If West Respects Russia — Direct Line Highlights
Putin tells a long TV Q&A that Moscow will not pursue new wars if treated with respect and denies Western plans to attack Europe as baseless.
Russian President Vladimir Putin used a long televised Q&A to press his case for a more respectful relationship with the West. He said Moscow would not seek new wars if its interests are treated with respect, and dismissed Western claims of plans to attack Europe as nonsense.
During a four-and-a-half-hour Direct Line broadcast from Moscow, Putin answered questions from the public and from reporters. He was asked whether Russia would launch new operations in Ukraine, a phrase he often uses for full-scale invasion.
"There won’t be any operations if you treat us with respect and recognize our interests, just as we recognize yours," he said, tying any future actions to mutual respect and to NATO expansion concerns.
Earlier this month, Putin asserted that Russia was not preparing for war with Europe, but was ready to respond immediately if Europeans chose escalation.
In response to a question from INLIBER’s Russia Editor, Putin added that there would be no further invasions "if you don’t cheat us like you did with NATO's eastward expansion". He has long argued that NATO promised not to expand east after the Cold War, a claim Western officials have disputed.
The Direct Line featured questions from the public across Russia in a Moscow hall, with Putin seated beneath a large map of Russia that also depicted occupied areas of Ukraine, including Crimea, annexed in 2014. State broadcasters said millions submitted questions.
Hours after the program, Ukraine reported seven people killed and 15 injured in a Russian missile strike in the southern Odesa region. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
While the event appeared highly scripted, a few critical comments popped up on a screen, including a viewer calling the program a circus, others complaining about internet outages and another about water quality. Authorities have blamed Ukrainian drones for some connectivity issues.
On the economy, Putin noted rising prices and slower growth. He pointed to a VAT increase from 20% to 22% at the start of the year and cited a central bank move to cut interest rates to 16%. A viewer urged relief from rising living costs, and the president promised to consider such concerns as the debate continued.
The Kremlin also used the moment to highlight the resilience of the economy and to tout support for veterans and local businesses, even as war persisted in Ukraine.
Ukraine, front lines and peace proposals
Putin repeated his stance that Russia seeks to control parts of eastern Ukraine, including Donbas, and that Kyiv should abandon its goal of joining NATO. He ridiculed Zelenskiy’s recent front-line visit to Kupiansk, saying Russian forces were advancing, a claim Kyiv has rejected. He floated the idea of Ukraine holding elections as part of a peace plan and insisted Moscow would agree to halt bombardments only if its security concerns were adequately addressed.
Ukraine’s security service said it had for the first time hit a Russian oil tanker operating within what Kyiv calls a shadow fleet in the Mediterranean; Putin argued the move would not affect Russia’s export capacity.
International diplomacy and US voices
The program touched on Western diplomacy. Putin praised President Donald Trump and said any peace deal depended on the West and Kyiv accepting Russia’s conditions. He argued the ball was in the Western camp to make a deal, rather than in Moscow.
A Ukrainian delegation has been meeting in Miami with Trump associates to pursue a peace framework, with several European officials attending recent discussions in Berlin. Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev was also reported to be heading to Miami.
Expert take
Expert comment: Political analyst Dr. Elena Sokolova says the Direct Line serves as a platform for Putin to project strength while signaling limited room for negotiation on security guarantees. She notes Moscow’s strategy is to present Western powers as obstructing peace while leaving a thin door open to talks if Russia’s core demands are addressed.
Bottom line
In summary, Putin frames Russia’s security needs as non-negotiable and calls for mutual respect from the West. He offers dialogue on equal terms but ties any real progress to concrete security guarantees and to Kyiv dropping its NATO ambitions. The Ukrainian war remains the central issue, with ongoing fighting, sanctions pressure, and ongoing diplomacy shaping the path forward.
Summary — Putin argues that Moscow will pursue peace only under secure terms and mutual respect, while insisting Western leaders and Kyiv bear responsibility for blocking a settlement. The message blends a warning against escalation with a willingness to talk if Russia’s demands are met, amid a war that continues to affect civilians and economies alike.
Key insight: Putin frames the conflict as a security issue that demands mutual respect and clear guarantees, signaling openness to talks only on Russia’s terms. BBC News coverage
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