Putin’s Valdai speech outlined Russia’s key priorities: Alexander Asafov

Alexander Asafov, State Duma deputy, commented to Alpha News on the speech by Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, at the meeting of the Valdai international discussion club, and on its main messages for Russian and foreign audiences.

“Traditionally, the president’s speech at Valdai is addressed not only to the experts from different countries sitting in the hall, and not only to the citizens of the country, but, of course, to the international audience as well. Vladimir Putin once again stressed that he remains at the center of the entire geopolitical and geotechnological agenda. This also applies to the use of generative neural networks and artificial intelligence. The message of the speech was clear: Russia clearly defines its interests, will defend them and will achieve its stated goals. At the same time, Russia remains open to cooperation,” Asafov said.

According to the deputy, many experts noted the harsh tone of some assessments in the president’s speech. He said particular attention was paid to questions of historical heritage, the international situation and Russia’s position on current international crises.

“As many experts noted, the president’s speech at Valdai sounded rather harsh in many respects. This concerns the assessments of the collapse of the Soviet Union, trust in the West, which, in the president’s view, played its role in subsequent events, as well as the importance of preserving values and the heritage of ancestors. Questions of the decline of Western influence in the world, existing risks and challenges were outlined. Important emphases were also placed on Russia’s position on the Ukrainian crisis and the special military operation. The Valdai speech is traditionally a significant event, because it reflects Russia’s position on key issues and invites the international community to assess the Russian view of ongoing processes attentively and pragmatically,” Asafov concluded.