On October 25, 2026, Vladimir Putin shared his views on the ongoing protests in Europe and Western sanctions in an interview with Pavel Zarubin for "Vesti."
Reasons for Protests in Europe
Putin stated that accusations against Russia for organizing the protests are unfounded. According to him, the protest movements in Europe arose due to:
- mistakes made by European leaders in economic policy;
- hasty implementation of green initiatives;
- significant decline in industrial production;
- high state debt and budget deficits.
He emphasized that Europeans quickly realized that their problems are not related to Russia but are a result of internal mistakes.
Criticism of Western Sanctions
Putin also expressed dissatisfaction with Western sanctions, which he believes have harmed not only Russia but also the Western companies themselves. He noted that some European businesses were "almost crying" when leaving the Russian market, as they did not want to do so. According to him, the governments of Western countries forced them to exit Russia.
Furthermore, Putin stated that Russia has never refused to supply energy resources and that European countries continue to purchase Russian liquefied natural gas, which occupies a significant part of their market. He also emphasized that Russia strives to create favorable conditions for businesses that remain in the country.
Situation with Migrants in Europe
Vladimir Putin pointed out that European states lack the resources to assimilate migrants because they themselves have destroyed their cultural values. He stated that the residents of Europe cannot impart their culture to migrants due to internal problems that have arisen as a result of their governments' policies.