Putin to Newly Graduated Russian Military Officers: NATO-Led West Is Preparing for War Against Russia

During a speech delivered on Monday in Moscow before hundreds of graduates of military academies, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that the West, under NATO’s leadership, is preparing for war against Russia.

According to him, until now the alliance’s member states have been content with supporting Ukraine. But now, the Russian president added, it is being openly said in the West that they are “preparing for war against us and increasing their military spending.”

“In this context, they cite false claims about an alleged military threat from Russia,” Putin said.

He also emphasized that Russia is prepared to respond to any risk. “We are ready to respond operationally and appropriately to any kind of threat,” the president of the Russian Federation stressed.

Almost 40% of the Russian budget goes to defense and security spending, as well as to financing military operations in Ukraine.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022, pushed the member states of the European Union and NATO to support Kyiv with extensive military and economic aid.

While the end of the war still does not appear on the horizon, concern over the possibility of a conflict with Russia is growing in some Western countries, which has also led to increased defense spending.