Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev says that the country must be ready to touch the West in the case of escalation in Ukraine, also by launching preventive strikes.
The remarks of the Senior Russian figure, published by the Russian Tass News Agency, is the last indication that Moscow sees the confrontation with the West above Ukraine escalating after US President Donald Trump had demanded a peace agreement within 50 days.
In his comments, Mr Medvedev rejected NATO and Western European claims that one day Russia would attack a member of the US-dominated military alliance.
But he added that Russia had to be ready to respond “completely” if the West would push further.
“The statements of Western politicians on this subject are complete nonsense,” said Mr Medvedev, who served as president between 2008 and 2012.
The American and European countries provide weapons and supplies to help the war effort of Ukraine. ((Reuters: Kacper Pempel))
He said that many in the West had “betrayal in their blood” and an outdated image of their own superiority.
“We must act accordingly. To respond fully. And if necessary, launch preventive strikes.”
Spokesperson for Kremlin, Dmitry Peskov, asked about Medvedev’s comments, said he had expressed his opinion and that his concerns about the “confrontational” environment of Europe were justified.
Mr Peskov said that Russia analyzed Trump’s threat to hit 100 percent secondary sanctions against the buyers of Russian exports, unless Putin agreed to a peace agreement in 50 days.
Mr Medvedev, who currently acts as a deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, rather threw himself as a liberal more moderniser when he was president from 2008 to 2012.
But since then he has emerged as an anti-Western Kremlin Hawk, and diplomats say that his comments give an indication to think among some within the political elite.
It came when Ukraine launched an overnight salvo from Drones in Russia, according to the RIA press agency, which said that 122 of them were destroyed by anti -aircraft weather.
On Thursday, Russia handed over more than 1,000 bodies to Ukraine and received 19, according to the Kremlin.
The Russian Ministry of Defense has also announced that it had seized several cities in eastern Ukraine because Mr Putin’s troops continue their gradual advance in four Ukrainian regions.
Zenskyy, Trump consider drone ‘mega-deal’
In the meantime, Mr. Zenskyy has told the New York Post newspaper that he and the American president are considering a “mega-deal” weapon about drones.
In the agreement, Washington would see the Ukrainian drones of Battlefield-Tested Ukrainian drones buy in exchange for Kiev purchase of the US.
Drones play an integral role in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. ((Reuters: Alina Smotko))
It comes days after European countries closed a deal to buy equipment from the US and then deliver to Ukraine, so that KYIV’s army strengthens the moment that Russia makes stable territorial profit.
Mr. Zenskyy said his last conversations with Mr. Trump focused on a deal that would help every country to strengthen his air technology.
“The people of America need this technology, and you must have it in your arsenal,” he said.
“We will be ready to share this experience with America and other European partners.”
Zenskyy appoints new American ambassador, revision cabinet
President VolodyMyr Zenskyy has appointed the first Prime Minister of Ukraine in five years as part of a recasting of his cabinet. ((Reuter: Thomas Peter))
In a further sign that tensions between the US and Ukraine are repaired after Mr Trump and Volodyymyr Zelenskyy’s confrontation in the White House earlier this year, the Ukrainian president has unveiled the new ambassador to his country in the United States.
Olha Stefanishyna, a Deputy Prime Minister responsible for Euro-Atlantic Integration, will take on the role.
Mr. Zenskyy wrote on Telegram that he had appointed her as a special presidential representative of the US so that she could develop relationships with Washington, while the procedures needed before her appointment took place.
Ukraine wants to restore raising ties with the US, and in recent weeks Mr Trump has been more positive about the country and sympathetic to his citizens while enduring nightly Russian drone attacks.
The current ambassador of Ukraine in the US, Oksana Markarova, has long been accused by the Republicans of choosing the Democratic Party during last year’s elections.
The appointment of Mrs. Stefanishhyna came on the same day that Mr Zenskyy also revealed a recasting from the cabinet and appointed a prime minister for the first time in five years.
Yulia Svyrydenko, 39, was given the task by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to stimulate the production of domestic weapons and to breathe new life into the loan -dependent economy of Ukraine.
In a speech to parliament, Zenskiy said that he expected his new government to increase the share of domestic weapons on the Okraine battlefield to 50% of 40% within six months.
He also chose deregulation and expanded economic cooperation with allies as other important goals of the greatest redeers of the government since the invasion of the Russia 2022.
Svyrydenko, an experienced technocrat who had served as the first Deputy Prime Minister since 2021, promised to move “quickly and decisively”.
“War leaves no room for delay,” she wrote on X.
Reuters
#Russia #beat #West #president #country