Putin wants to convince everyone all he wants is peace 

After ten years of the horrors of war in Ukraine, Putin accuses the West of destroying the European security system. And calls for talks on creating a new one. 

Putin’s message to the West, in his Thursday address to parliament, was an invitation for talks, mixed with the usual sabre rattling. 

His 2022 Ukraine invasion plan did not go according to plan in terms of conquering Kyiv ‘in three days’ and installing a puppet government.  

But by continuing pointless, criminal bloodshed in Ukraine under the noses of Western governments, Putin has politically seriously hurt both Kyiv and the West.  

Judging by the growing rhetoric in the West in favour of talks to end the war and scepticism about Ukraine’s chances to ever retake the occupied territories, Putin’s big gamble might have already produced an outcome that will be satisfactory enough for his ego (never mind the human and economic costs).  

Putin on Thursday blamed the US and “its satellites” for “effectively dismantling the system of European security”. 

“This creates risks for all. Obviously, it is necessary to work on creating in the foreseeable future a new framework for an equal and indivisible security system in Eurasia,” he said. 

“We are ready for a meaningful conversation on this subject with all concerned countries and groups,” Putin said. 

He also said that “Russia is ready for dialogue with the USA on issues of strategic stability” but added that no “serious” talks were possible as long as the US government continued “to take openly hostile actions against us”. 

Putin also said that “no durable world order is possible without a sovereign and strong Russia”, warning also that Russia’s strategic nuclear forces are “in a state of full combat readiness”. 

The main message of the speech, seen as Putin’s ‘election programme’ before the 17 March vote, was for the Russian voters.  

The address, which took more than two hours, focused on measures planned by the government to improve Russians’ social protection and boost the economy – promises that will be hard to keep given the costs of the war. 

According to the RAND research group, by the end of 2024 Russia will spend an estimated 132bn dollars on its war on Ukraine. 

In another move that can be seen as part of the Kremlin’s pre-election foreign messages, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has raised the issue of “ensuring military security in the strategic Central Asia direction”. 

Speaking at a meeting of top defence officials on Tuesday, Shoigu said the situation in Central Asia “remains complicated”, with Afghanistan “still being the biggest source of threat”.  

Shoigu named as another threat the alleged operation in Central Asia of “more than 100 major pro-Western non-government organisations, with over 16,000 representatives offices and branches”. 

«Behind the backdrop of the special military operation, these NGOs have considerably stepped up their anti-Russian activities aimed at reducing Central Asian nations’ military-technical, economic and cultural cooperation with the Russian Federation,” he said. 

“We are taking pre-emptive measures [against them],” he added. 

In another development, the ‘foreign minister’ of Moldova’s breakaway Transnistria region Vitaly Ignatiyev on Wednesday appealed for Russia’s support over Moldova’s «economic blockade». 

Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in response that protection of Transnistria’s people’s interests «is one of our priorities». 

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