Russia frames conflict as defensive response to Western pressure

During his annual speech at the Valdai Discussion Club, Vladimir Putin framed Russia as a nation responding to external pressures rather than initiating aggression. He expanded the narrative of the conflict in Ukraine, positioning it as one part of a broader struggle regarding the European security order and Russia's role within it.

Putin addressed the collapse of the Soviet Union, attributing it to internal failures such as ideological rigidity and incompetence, while simultaneously accusing Western powers of exploiting that weakness to undermine Russian stability. He argued that Russia's current actions are a reaction to being pushed into confrontation by the West.

In a related diplomatic stance, Russian official Sergey Lavrov accused the European Union of obstructing peace negotiations in Ukraine. Lavrov claimed that EU support for Kyiv and its rhetoric regarding Russian intentions are contributing to the prolongation and expansion of the conflict.