Putin says Russia has no aggressive intentions toward Europe, ready to restore relations

“There are simply no grounds for this whatsoever. We are ready for cooperation and for restoring relations with our European neighbours.”He criticised European countries for holding military exercises in the Baltic Sea, saying they included preparations to seize civilian vessels.

“They constantly talk about defending international law and upholding its norms, yet they prepare to seize civilian vessels,” Putin said. He said Moscow would respond if necessary. “Let us live in peace — otherwise, we, too, will be forced to respond.”Read:Russia accuses US of viewing Europe as potential nuclear battlefield.

Putin criticised European leaders for portraying Ukraine as a defender of European values, civilisation and democracy, questioning how Kyiv could defend democracy when its government had “degenerated into a dictatorship.”He said elections were not being held in Ukraine, and its authorities were using martial law and the war to remain in power, and accused officials of corruption and embezzlement.

“And this thoroughly corrupt regime — is it really the main defender of democracy in Europe? That sounds a bit odd,” he said.

Putin accused Ukraine of attempting to interfere with elections in Russia, citing a recent attack on the home of a precinct election commission chairwoman in the village of Oktyabrskoye in the Zaporizhzhia region, in which he said she was killed. “Representatives of the Kyiv regime — its leadership — speak of peace and proposeresuming so-called negotiations.

Yet, by committing crimes of this nature, they themselves do everything to ensure that there is no peace and no negotiations,” he said. Read More:Is NATO ready to fight? The Ukraine war is raising doubts among military analysts.

Putin also outlined priorities for Russia’s new State Armament Program, saying it would focus on modernising the armed forces and defence industry amid what he described as evolving global threats. He identified strengthening Russia’s nuclear triad as the program’s “absolute priority,” saying it guarantees sovereignty and helps maintain the global balance of power.

Putin said 92% of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces are equipped with modern weapons. He listed strengthening air defence, expanding unmanned and robotic systems, developing precision-strike weapons and completing Russia’s orbital satellite constellation among key priorities.

The satellite network, he said, would improve space-based reconnaissance, navigation, communications and broadband internet capabilities while enabling real-time command and control of troops and weapons.