On December 17, Russian President Putin made an important statement:
· Russia will not deprive any country of its right to security, but will adhere to its commitments, including the non-expansion of NATO;
· Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the West has almost always dealt with Russia from a position of strength;
· The West has provided armed support to terrorists in the North Caucasus region;
· It is not Russia that provoked the Russia-Ukraine conflict, but the West;
· The United States and its "European vassals" once believed they could destroy Russia in a short time;
· All Western "revenge" attempts and destructive plans against Russia have "completely failed".
— Russia Today RT
Putin's statement at the expanded meeting of the Russian Ministry of Defense on December 17 was a "combination punch" to boost domestic morale and apply pressure on negotiations abroad. Its core is to demonstrate military confidence while setting preconditions for possible peace talks, clarifying positions, and gaining the initiative.
The multiple points in the statement are interlinked, and the main intention can be summarized into the following four levels:
Not depriving other countries' right to security, but upholding the commitment that NATO will not expand; the conflict was instigated by the West.
Positioning itself as a "defensive party forced to respond," providing legal and moral justification for the special military operation, while locking the core prerequisite for future peace talks as "Ukrainian neutrality."
The West has acted from a position of strength, supported terrorists, and attempted to destroy Russia, but has failed.
Shaping a narrative of the West as "untrustworthy and failed," arousing nationalistic sentiments domestically, and consolidating public support for the government and the military.
This is a "use war to force peace" strategy amid the context of peace negotiations (such as the Berlin talks led by the US). On one hand, it expresses willingness to negotiate, and on the other hand, it sets an implicit bottom line based on the current front lines, and implies that further expansion of military gains is not ruled out.
Putin's statement is not merely a battlefield summary, but a comprehensive political document serving domestic mobilization, international public opinion, and negotiation games. It marks the possible entry of the conflict into a new phase characterized by mutual pressure between "war and peace."
As an Italian government official said, Europe wants to defeat Russia? That's impossible!
Original: toutiao.com/article/1851771155211264/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.