WASHINGTON, May 9. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin's inauguration speech evoked the key principle of the 1648 Peace of Westphalia, which called for countries to respect each other’s interest, Helga Zepp-LaRouche, the founder of the Schiller Institute, said in an interview.
"It is of existential importance that President Putin reiterated, in his inauguration speech, his openness to have a dialogue with the West on an equal footing, and with respect for each other's interest," she said.
However, at the same time, the Russian leadership "makes clear, through the rehearsing of the maneuvers of deployment of tactical nuclear weapons, that Russia will not tolerate the crossing of more red lines."
Putin’s speech "evokes the spirit of the Peace of Westphalia, which occurred when the war parties of the Thirty Years' War realized that if the war continued, there would be nobody alive to enjoy the victory," the analyst said.
"The key principle of the Peace of Westphalia was the recognition that in order to have peace, you have to respect the interest of the other," she continued.
The Westphalian system of international relations evolved in Europe on the basis of the Peace of Westphalia, which concluded the Thirty Years' War in the Holy Roman Empire in 1648. Its principles that are still relevant in relations between countries are the priority of national interests, the principle of balance of power, state sovereignty, the right of countries to demand non-interference in their internal affairs, the principle of international law and the use of diplomacy in international relations, along with some others.
Vladimir Putin was inaugurated as president on Tuesday. In his speech, the head of state signaled that Moscow is ready for a dialogue on security and strategic stability, if its partners agree to hold talks "not from a position of strength, without any arrogance, swagger or a feeling of pre-eminence, but on an equal footing and respecting each other's interests."
Putin took office as president of Russia for the fifth time. The Russian presidential election was held from March 15 to 17. According to the Central Election Commission, the incumbent president won 87.28% of the vote. The election’s turnout was 77.44%, the highest in Russia's latest history.