View from the West: Russia eyes full Victory as Putin doubles down

Photo: Reuters

Vladimir Putin’s remarks suggest that the Kremlin is confident about its military forces’ prospects on the ground.

Russian president Vladimir Putin insisted that his country will not stop fighting in Ukraine until it achieves its goals, ‘The National Interest’ stresses. 

Russia Is Confident in Victory

During a speech to a gathering of senior defence ministry officials on Wednesday, Putin was adamant that his country would fight on until it achieves all of its objectives. 

The Russian leader said that he will not turn away from his mission to “liberate its historic lands.” 

Putin has long argued that Ukraine, once part of the Soviet Union, shares a common ethnic culture with Russia, and it should be part of it.

Putin Went On To Disparage Ukraine’s European Allies

“Everyone thought they would quickly destroy Russia. The European swine immediately joined in… hoping to make a killing,” he said, referring derogatively to Ukraine’s European partners that have provided important security and financial aid to Kyiv. 

It is notable that Putin did not characterize the United States the same way. After all, the United States has been the single most important partner of Ukraine. It’s possible that his decision was aimed at widening rifts between the United States and the rest of NATO.

Putin Makes Worrisome Remarks

What is most worrisome about Putin’s remarks is that it seems like the Kremlin is confident about the prospect of its military forces on the ground. 

If Putin and his advisers believe that they can win on the battlefield, then Russia will continue to fight unless offered something it could not turn down. Much will depend on what the Kremlin’s victory goals are. 

“The goals of the special military operation will be achieved unconditionally,” the Russian leader said about the Russian military’s operation in Ukraine. 

“If the adversary and its foreign patrons don’t want to have a substantive discussion, then Russia will liberate its historic lands on the battlefield,” Putin added. 

Putin Warns Of 'Unprecedented Escalation'

Speaking at his annual end-of-year four-hour press conference and public call-in show, Putin responded to a question about potential threats to Kaliningrad, ‘Express’ quotes.

Vladimir Putin issued a stark warning on Friday that any attempt to blockade Russia's Kaliningrad exclave would trigger an "unprecedented escalation" of the Ukraine conflict, potentially expanding it into a "large-scale armed conflict" across Europe. Speaking at his annual end-of-year press conference and public call-in show, which lasted more than four hours, the Russian President responded to a question about potential threats to Kaliningrad — a strategic Russian territory on the Baltic Sea sandwiched between NATO members Poland and Lithuania.

He said: "I hope that won't happen. If such threats are made against us, we will eliminate them. Everyone must understand this and realise that actions of this kind will lead to an unprecedented escalation of the conflict, taking it to a completely different level and expanding it into a large-scale armed conflict."

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