Vladimir Putin has described claims that Moscow is organizing mass protests in major European cities as a “clear exaggeration.” The Russian president accused European leaders of attributing the unrest to external factors instead of confronting the reasons for domestic discontent.
During an interview with the VGTRK broadcaster, published on Sunday, Putin said he was initially surprised that European criticism of the demonstrations was directed first at the United States and then at Russia.
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“Claims immediately began that developments in Europe were the result of the activities of the current U.S. administration and the support it provides to right-wing parties and movements,” he said.
According to Putin, this stance was “strange and completely unexpected.” He said he had not thought European leaders would criticize the United States, the country he described as their main ally and military protector.
He went on to say that European leaders then returned to what the Russian president called their “traditional accusations” against Moscow.
Putin dismissed as inflated the accusations of Russian involvement in the major protests and said European governments were trying to avoid responsibility for the situation that had emerged.
“When I saw this, my first reaction was surprise, because to say that we are instigating mass protests in major European cities is a clear exaggeration,” he said. According to him, ordinary European citizens should also understand the nature of this claim.
The Russian president said the accusations demonstrated the weakness of some European leaders. He argued that they were blaming Washington and Moscow instead of examining the underlying causes of public discontent.
The Kremlin has repeatedly denied accusations of Russian interference in Europe’s political developments. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov also described the accusations as “absurd” on October 19, according to reports.
Protests in France fuel debate over foreign influence
Putin’s statements come after several weeks of student protests across France, while discussion of the demonstrations has increasingly been accompanied by claims of foreign interference.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, speaking at a conference organized by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development on October 21, accused protesters of relying on what he described as “hostile narratives” linked to Russia, China, Iran and the MAGA movement.
