🎙 President of Russia Vladimir Putin’s answers to media questions (St Petersburg, September 25, 2026)

Key talking points:

• The Russian Armed Forces’ recent actions were yet again retaliatory [to Ukraine’s reckless provocations] and proved so painful and devastating for the adversary that they are now once again actively raising the issue of ceasefires in several areas – energy and airspace, as they put it. But they were the ones who started all of this.

• Is this some kind of children’s game to them? They must therefore feel the impact of Russia’s retaliatory strikes and understand that no provocations or escalation will bring them the results they seek. They are only making their own situation worse.

• All these moves towards so-called reconciliation and proposals to resume negotiations are on the table. All of this is possible. But after everything they have done, we will think very carefully about what action we need to take in response.

❗️ I want to stress once again: we are not preparing for any military action against Europe. We have no such plans and, most importantly, no grounds or real motives for escalating the situation with Europe, whatever anyone may say, including those in the Baltic states.

• We will continue to stand up for the rights of our compatriots, within the framework of international law. We have never intended to use other means, have never used them and have no intention of doing so.

• We welcome negotiations between the US and China. Why? Because these are the world’s two largest economies. How they resolve their differences and the problems arising from illegitimate US sanctions, and what agreements they reach, will influence the entire global economy, including our own.

• The APEC Summit in China is a major, important event, and I have been invited. I believe it would be useful to take part in such a forum. I have told President Xi Jinping this as well. I intend to participate. But, as I have said, the final decision will depend on the situation in Russia.

Read in full