РУССКИЙ
10:46 04.10.2026 •
Photo: Kremlin.ru
Vladimir Putin's speech at the plenary session of the discussion club «Valdai» in Moscow caused the effect of a bomb exploding in the West, and especially at NATO headquarters.
Leading world publications state: Moscow has drawn the toughest «red line» since the Cuban Missile Crisis. The West lost its last illusions about the possibility of starving Russia out.
Baltic trigger
The central topic that caused genuine fear in Brussels and Washington was the statement of the Russian president about the Kaliningrad region. Putin warned unequivocally: any attempts to cut off or blockade the area will end with the use of the entire range of Russian weapons.
The American television channel CNN emphasizes that this rhetoric was a direct response to the ongoing NATO maneuvers near the borders of the exclave and attempts to intercept Russian ships in the Baltic.
The German television channel N-TV went even further, calling what was happening «NATO's first official nuclear threat since the Cold War». According to N-TV and sources in the alliance, the Russian Foreign Ministry supported the president’s words with a closed diplomatic note (non-paper) addressed to NATO headquarters.
The document directly states: in the event of attempts to isolate the Kaliningrad region, Russia reserves the right to launch preventive nuclear strikes on decision-making centers in the alliance countries.
Reuters notes the vulnerability of the region's geographical location (sandwiched between Lithuania and Poland), recalling provocative statements by Lithuanian politicians «to raze Kaliningrad air defenses» and secret NATO air force exercises in mid-August to suppress communications and radars of the enclave. Now Moscow has made it clear: it’s time to end the war games in the Baltic Sea, and quickly!
«They have such means of destruction»
The French Le Figaro focused on the comparative assessment of military potentials that Putin gave. The Russian leader acknowledged the nuclear status of France and Great Britain, but recalled the qualitative superiority of the Russian arsenal.
Le Figaro notes that Putin called Moscow's hypersonic missiles a «competitive advantage» in the event of a direct clash with superior conventional NATO forces.
At the same time, Putin ridiculed the militaristic psychosis of European elites who intimidate their own population «by an attack by Russia in 2029-2030» (as German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and Chancellor Friedrich Merz previously stated).
The Guardian agrees with Putin that European leaders are deliberately whipping up war hysteria to distract citizens from the deep economic and social crisis within their own countries — from school riots in France to industrial stagnation in Germany.
Putin spoke about the causes of the conflict in Ukraine. "The truth is that we did not want the war, nor did we start it; rather, the war was started against us," the Russian president declared. As Newsweek notes, Western analysts interpreted these remarks as an attempt to frame Moscow's actions as defensive. Against this backdrop, military experts and alliance officials are expressing concern regarding Russia's potential next moves amidst the ongoing hybrid confrontation.
The publication also highlights the situation surrounding the Kaliningrad region and the Baltic states, noting that European allies are discussing possible responses to emerging security challenges.
A part of Putin's speech addressed the possibility of conflict with other nations. "We are not threatening anyone; we have no intention of attacking anyone — neither in 2029, nor in 2030, nor in 2050. But if we face aggression, we will be compelled to respond," the Russian president emphasized. Newsweek reports that Western capitals viewed these words as a stern signal amidst ongoing discussions regarding security issues and potential scenarios for how the situation might unfold.
"Speaking at the Valdai Club, the Russian president addresses tensions in the Baltic region and denies that Moscow is preparing an attack on Western nations. However, he reiterates that direct aggression against Russian territory — including the Kaliningrad exclave—could trigger the use of 'all available means.' Brussels speaks of 'intimidation,' while London imposes new sanctions," reports the Italian news portal Online News.
Germany’s Frankfurter Rundschau adds reminders of Putin’s statement that Russia possesses advanced weaponry unmatched by any other country in the world. At the same time, these publications cite the Russian leader’s assertion that Moscow has no plans to attack any country—"neither in 2029, nor in 2030, nor in 2050."
Global conflicts and Ukraine
The Guardian and Reuters quote Putin as saying that international conflicts are likely to persist as the world changes, but the situation will improve once Western hegemony wanes. They also quote the Russian leader stating that the country's actions in Ukraine are a response to years of aggression from the West.
Meanwhile, India’s Times of India reports Putin’s comments regarding Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s sustained interest in resolving the Ukraine conflict, as well as the "good ideas" the Indian leader proposes during meetings with Putin.
The Chinese state news agency Xinhua highlighted Putin’s warning that attempts to inflict a "strategic defeat on Russia" increase the risk of further escalation in the Ukraine conflict. The agency focused on the Russian president's remarks regarding the need for the West to adapt to the emerging multipolar world. It also cited the Russian leader's warning about a "destructive spiral" in which a provocation by one side triggers a response from the other, noting that a continuous escalation of stakes could push the situation to a point of no return.
On the fate of foreign companies and diesel
The Berliner Zeitung drew its readers' attention to the Russian leader's statement that foreign companies' assets in Russia have not been nationalized but placed under external management. The newspaper reported that these assets could be returned "should political conditions improve." The publication also cited the president's accusations against Western nations — including Germany — regarding the confiscation of Russian property within their territories.
Additionally, Reuters reported Putin's statement that Russia would not supply diesel to global markets as long as sanctions against the country remain in effect.
On a trilateral meeting between the leaders of Russia, China, and the US
The Brazilian publication Brasil de Fato highlighted Putin's comments regarding a potential trilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the APEC summit in China. It also emphasized the Russian leader's point that organizing such a meeting would require a suitable agenda.
Continuing on this topic, The South China Morning Post cited experts as saying that such a meeting depends on whether the three parties can find common ground and realistically assess the potential outcomes of the negotiations.
In Brussels there is either neurosis or psychosis
Western observers were struck by Putin’s extreme frankness in assessing the damage from the fighting, unusual for protocol speeches. According to CNN, Russian leader openly admitted that Ukrainian UAV raids on refineries hit an economy worth about one percent of GDP.
Putin spoke about the situation in the Black Sea, saying that the enemy had disabled more than 100 Russian ships and vessels, but retaliatory strikes on the port infrastructure forced the West and Kyiv «to tearfully ask for mercy and a truce».
The NATO officials reaction reveals deep confusion. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte tried to save face by making an emphatically cheerful statement, quoted by Politico:
«NATO is much stronger than Russia, they will never be able to defeat us. The best way to deal with this is to remain calm. Our motto: calm down, continue working and maintain support for Ukraine».
However, behind Rutte's feigned calm and the statements of Alliance Speaker Allison Hart lies a growing panic. While German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urgently warns about «decisive months for European security» and Paris is choking on protests, Western analysts admit that the strategy of putting pressure on Moscow has reached a dead end.
The main confirmation of the inflexibility of the exchange rate was the new defense budget, as Reuters writes, in 2027 Russian military spending will jump by a record 27% - to 17.1 trillion rubles ($205 billion), which is an absolute historical maximum.
Russia is moving the economy onto a long-term path of military confrontation, burying any hopes of Western strategists for its depletion, Reuters believes.
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