MOSCOW, February 29. /TASS/. Russia will not discuss strategic stability issues with the US unless its national interests are taken into account, President Vladimir Putin said in his annual State of the Nation Address to both houses of the Federal Assembly, the Russian parliament.
The head of state slammed allegations of Russia’s plans to deploy nuclear weapons in space as bogus stories, while mentioning Russia’s new and advanced weapons systems. He also noted that the West would like to see a declining and dying entity in Russia’s place and warned "potential invaders" that their fate would be far more tragic than that of their predecessors.
TASS has gathered the key takeaways from what the head of state said.
On dialogue with US
The United States is inviting Moscow to engage in strategic stability dialogue, while trying to inflict "a strategic defeat on the battlefield" on Russia, which is hypocritical.
Washington’s statements that it is interested in such a dialogue "is demagoguery ahead of the US presidential election:" "They simply want to show their citizens - and everyone else - that they still rule the world."
Allegations that Russia plans to deploy nuclear weapons in space are unfounded: "Such bogus stories <...> are a ploy to drag us into talks on their terms, which only benefit the US."
Moscow will not discuss strategic stability issues with Washington in isolation from its national interests. "If you want to discuss serious security and stability issues, which are important for the entire planet, then it should be done in its entirety."
On West’s goals
Western countries are seeking not only to contain Russia’s development: "In Russia’s place they want to see a dependent, declining and dying space where they can do whatever they want."
The West would like to do to Russia what was done to Ukraine, "sowing discord in our home and weakening us from within." "However, they miscalculated."
On special military operation
Russia will do everything to achieve the goals of its special military operation. "We weren’t the ones who unleashed the war in Donbass but, as I have repeatedly said, we will do everything to end it."
"Our forces are firmly holding the initiative. They are steadily advancing in a number of operational areas, liberating more and more land."
"Our armed forces have gained enormous combat experience. <...> The combat capability of the armed forces has increased manifold."
On Russian-made weapons
All previous plans to boost Russia’s defense industry, which were announced in the 2018 State of the Nation Address, have either have been implemented or are nearing completion. The Kinzhal and Tsirkon hypersonic missile systems are already being used in the special military operation; the Avangard hypersonic missiles and Peresvet laser systems are on combat duty, and the trials of the Burevestnik cruise missile and the Poseidon unmanned underwater vehicle are in their final stages.
"The first serially produced Sarmat heavy ballistic missiles have already been put in service with the army. We will soon demonstrate them in the combat duty mode at their deployment bases."
"Work is underway on a number of other advanced weapons systems. We will definitely hear about the new achievements of our researchers and weapons makers."
On fate of potential invaders
It was the West that provoked the conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East and other regions, but now, it alleges that Russia plans to attack Europe: "They are talking nonsense."
However, Russian forces in the Western strategic direction need to be reinforced in order to eliminate the threats coming from another wave of NATO’s expansion.
Whoever is considering the possibility of an intervention in Russia must remember the fate of those who did that in the past. "Now, the consequences will be far more tragic for potential invaders." "After all, they must understand that we also have weapons <...> capable of hitting targets on their soil."
Russia’s strategic nuclear forces "are in full state of readiness for guaranteed use."
On arms race
Western countries are trying to drag Russia into an arms race, "repeating the trick they managed to play on the Soviet Union in the 1980s." This is why it is important "to allocate resources in the most rational way and build an effective economy of the armed forces."
On new safety circuit in Eurasia
"We clearly need to work to make sure that a new circuit of equal and indivisible security is formed in Eurasia in the foreseeable future. We are ready for a substantive conversation on the issue with all interested countries and organizations."