In a speech to Russia’s FSB security service on February 27, President Vladimir Putin warned against Western efforts to derail improved relations between Russia and the US, urging Russia’s diplomats and intelligence services to block any attempts to sabotage dialogue.

President Vladimir Putin on Thursday addressed the FSB, warning that certain "Western elites" would try to undermine a potential thaw in relations between Russia and the United States. He noted that the initial contacts with the new US administration were promising, with a shared desire to address global security issues.

"There is a reciprocal mood to work to restore intergovernmental ties and gradually resolve the huge number of systemic and strategic problems," he said, referring to growing diplomatic engagements with the new US leadership.

However, the Russian president also acknowledged that not all nations welcomed this thaw in relations. "Some Western elites are still determined to maintain instability," Putin remarked.

In his address, Putin raised concerns about the rising threat of cyberattacks against Russia and the need for strengthened counter-intelligence measures. He stressed the importance of protecting Russia’s military, industrial, transport, and energy infrastructure from potential threats, especially in the face of rising international tensions.

Concluding his speech, Putin spoke about the challenges facing the West, claiming that Western societies were experiencing internal crises. "They have begun to destroy Western society itself from within," he stated, adding that economic and political issues in many Western countries were clear evidence of this decline. Despite these challenges, Putin maintained hope for a more balanced global security system.

Copied