Putin Promises Peace If Russia is Respected by the West

Sun Dec 21 2025 20:38:10 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a recent televised event, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that there will be no more wars following Ukraine if the West shows respect towards Russia's interests. Amidst ongoing tensions, he made statements about NATO and European relations.

Vladimir Putin asserted that peace is achievable if the West treats Russia with respect, while dismissing accusations of impending attacks on European nations as 'nonsense.' He referred to NATO’s eastward expansion as a point of contention and emphasized a willingness to cease hostilities if security concerns are addressed. Despite his claims of seeking peace, evidence of Russia's ongoing military actions raises questions about their commitment to ending the conflict in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said there will be no more wars after Ukraine, if Russia is treated with respect - and dismissed claims that Moscow is planning to attack European countries as 'nonsense'.

In a televised event lasting almost four and a half hours, he was asked by the BBC's Steve Rosenberg whether there would be new 'special military operations' - Putin's term for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

There won't be any operations if you treat us with respect, if you respect our interests just as we've always tried to respect yours, he asserted.

Earlier this month, Putin claimed Russia was not planning to go to war with Europe, but was ready right now if Europeans wanted to.

In a response to a question from the BBC, he also added that there would be no further Russian invasions if you don't cheat us like you cheated us with NATO's eastward expansion. Putin has long accused NATO of breaching a 1990 promise allegedly made to then-Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, a claim Gorbachev later denied.

As he spoke, Russian state TV claimed that more than three million questions had been submitted to him during the 'Direct Line' event, where Putin spoke amidst a map of Russia that included occupied areas of Ukraine.

Despite the promises of peace, just hours after the event, Ukrainian officials reported deaths and injuries due to a Russian missile strike in Odesa, highlighting the ongoing conflict's grim reality.

Putin also addressed Russia's faltering economy, stating that prices are rising, and plans for VAT increases are imminent as the Kremlin seeks to project resilience. He acknowledged widespread public discontent about economic issues while reiterating his longstanding views on NATO and foreign policy.

While expressing willingness to work with Western nations on mutual terms, Putin's rhetoric raises questions as the backdrop of war continues to loom large across Ukraine.