VLADIVOSTOK, September 5. /TASS/. Protecting Russia's border regions from Ukrainian attacks is the sacred duty of the Russian Armed Forces, President Vladimir Putin said at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).
The Russian president stressed that the country was not against transiting its gas through Ukraine but could not force Kiev to do anything in this regard. Putin also noted that Moscow’s issue with the dollar stems from the fact that it was "denied" settlements in this currency. On a positive note, he drew attention to decreasing inflation in Russia.
TASS has gathered the key statements made by the president during the discussion.
The Kursk Region
By attacking the Kursk Region and other border areas, Ukraine wanted to distract Russia from its offensive in Donbass.
This strategic gambit failed as Kiev severely weakened itself in other directions, while the Russian army only accelerated its offensive. The Ukrainian armed forces' losses are so great that the country's army may soon lose its ability to fight: "The enemy is suffering heavy losses - both in manpower and equipment."
Protecting Russia's border regions from attacks by the Ukrainian armed forces is the "sacred duty" of the Russian Armed Forces. The number of contract servicemen has "sharply increased" after the Ukrainian attack on the Kursk Region.
Ukraine strikes NPPs
Ukraine's strikes on the Zaporozhye and Kursk nuclear power plants are "blatant terrorist attacks."
"One can only imagine what would happen if we gave a tit-for-tat response, what would happen to this part of Europe."
Settling the Ukraine conflict
In settling the Ukrainian crisis, Russia will seek "guarantees that could work at least to some extent."
The West and the Kiev authorities abandoned the 2022 Istanbul agreements on the settlement in Ukraine in favor of trying to deal a strategic defeat to Russia, which "is not working."
Russia has never refused to negotiate on Ukraine, but will not do so based on "some ephemeral demands, only on the grounds of those documents that were agreed and actually initialed in Istanbul."
Moscow and Kiev managed to agree on the settlement of the conflict in March 2022 in Istanbul. The only reason the agreements did not go into force was because the West put a stop to the process.
Russia will always defend its interests and the interests of people in Ukraine who espouse the Russian language and traditions.
The dollar
Russia is not pursuing a dedollarization policy: "We did not refuse to settle accounts in dollars. We were denied settlements, and we just have to look for other opportunities. That's all."
The West already realizes that it has made a mistake by foolishly pushing countries to abandon the dollar.
The Russian economy
The Russian economy is already the fourth-largest in the world, while the gap between China and the US is widening. It is developing steadily, but "one must always strive to reach new milestones."
Russia's GDP growth for the first half of 2024 is 4.6%, with the rise expected to eclipse 2023's by year's end.
Inflation in the country is now on the decline, although it recently exceeded 9% with a target of 4%.
The Russian authorities are already "cooling" the situation on the lending market and in the economy as a whole by raising the key rate and canceling certain preferential mortgage programs.
BRICS
Countries of the Global South account for more than half of global GDP, while BRICS countries account for a third. "Priorities in the use of certain currencies are naturally changing as well."
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov's case
The Russian authorities have never had any problems with Telegram founder Pavel Durov, unlike other countries.
US election
It is the American people who will determine the winner of the US presidential election, so Russia does not need to talk about who it prefers or doesn’t prefer.
Prisoners swap
The prisoner exchange between Russia and the West that took place in August was "a win-win for all parties involved."
Russia will always help its citizens who need help, including those living abroad.
Gas transit
Russia does not refuse to transit its gas through Ukraine: "We have a contract for transit, which terminates on December 31 this year. But if Ukraine rejects this transit, well, we can't force them."
Germany's refusal to launch the remaining string of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline is "schizophrenia and nonsense:" "Why don't they do it? I don't understand."
The expansion of Russian gas supplies to the Far East and Central Asia is not related to the events in Ukraine: "The economies of these countries are developing rapidly, so they need additional resources.
Iran requests Russia to supply gas, which is "quite a realizable project."
The Middle East
Russia is striving to resolve issues related to the release of hostages held by the Palestinian radical Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip and is making progress on the matter.