Putin Dismisses NATO Defense Spending as Non-Threatening, Insists Russian Advances in Ukraine Will Persist

On Thursday, President Vladimir Putin stated that NATO’s initiative to increase defense spending is not a «threat» to Russia, just days before the alliance is anticipated to ratify a plan to enhance its military presence across Europe.

During a late-night press conference in St. Petersburg, Putin affirmed that Russian troops would maintain their progressive advances in Ukraine and challenged the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Next week, NATO leaders are set to convene in The Hague for a significant summit to deliberate on raising defense spending to 5% of GDP—an initiative driven in part by U.S. President Donald Trump’s insistence that member nations contribute more to the alliance.

Putin, who portrays the conflict in Ukraine as part of a broader clash with the West, dismissed any threat from NATO’s military buildup.

«We do not view NATO’s rearmament as a risk to the Russian Federation, since we are fully capable of ensuring our security,» Putin remarked to a group of foreign journalists. «We are constantly upgrading our armed forces and defense capabilities.»

While he acknowledged that heightened NATO spending could create «specific» challenges, the Kremlin’s leader insisted that Russia «will address any threats that may arise. There is absolutely no doubt about that.»

Regarding the Ukraine conflict, Putin informed reporters that Russia possesses the «strategic advantage» and that his forces are making daily progress along the front lines.

«Our troops are making advancements along the entire contact line. Each day, more or less, they move forward. The advance will persist,» he stated.

Putin reiterated his unwillingness to engage in direct negotiations with Zelensky for the moment, asserting that the Ukrainian president’s mandate had lapsed—a statement that Kyiv has denounced as propaganda.

Zelensky’s five-year term formally concludes in May 2024; however, Ukraine’s constitution prohibits elections during martial law, which has been in effect since Russia’s full-scale invasion.

«I am open to meeting with anyone, including Zelensky. That is not the issue,» Putin commented. «If the Ukrainian state delegates someone in particular to handle negotiations, then by all means, it can be Zelensky.»

«We are indifferent to who conducts the negotiations, even if it is the current leader of the regime,» he added, but emphasized that such a meeting would be feasible only in the «final phase» of peace discussions.

«It is essential to find a resolution that not only ends the current conflict but also establishes conditions to prevent similar situations from arising in the future,» Putin conveyed to journalists.

Thus far, the Kremlin has ruled out a comprehensive ceasefire in Ukraine, maintaining maximalist demands, including Ukraine surrendering more territory to Russia and significantly downsizing its military.

Ukraine has rejected these conditions as ultimatums designed to prolong the war.

At the St. Petersburg press conference on Wednesday, Putin also asserted that Russian forces do not intentionally target civilians, despite extensive documentation of attacks on residential areas and frequent airstrikes that have resulted in numerous civilian casualties.

Earlier this week, Russian missile strikes on Kyiv resulted in the deaths of at least 28 individuals, according to local authorities.