IN BRIEF: Kremlin comments on Putin’s remarks at Valdai and warning over Kaliningrad

IN BRIEF: Kremlin comments on Putin’s remarks at Valdai and warning over Kaliningrad According to Dmitry Peskov, the whole world is waiting for today's Russian president's addressRussian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov© Artyom Geodakyan/TASS Host Photo AgencyMOSCOW, October 1. /TASS/. Russia’s warning about the consequences of possible attempts to blockade Kaliningrad, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s upcoming address at the plenary session of the Valdai Discussion Club’s meeting, as well as the militarization of European countries were the main topics of Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov’s briefing on October 1. TASS has compiled the key statements by the Kremlin spokesman. On the president’s schedule Russian President Vladimir Putin will address the plenary session of the 23rd meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club today. The whole world is waiting for this address: "This is the speech, one of several annual speeches by the president, that the whole world is waiting for." It is expected after 4 p.m. Moscow time: "After four [o’clock]." The head of state will also meet with Rabbi Alexander Boroda, president of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia, in the evening. Several other meetings may also be included in the president’s schedule today, but they will be held behind closed doors. On contacts with the US Russia keeps maintaining contacts with American representatives at the working level: "Contacts at the working level with American representatives continue." Joint economic projects between Russia and the United States would greatly benefit both countries: "Implementing economic projects in a wide range of fields, including major ones, would greatly benefit both Russia and the US." The United States continues to tie the resumption of economic cooperation with Russia to a settlement of the Ukraine conflict: "To our regret, despite the obvious benefits, the Americans continue to tie this entire process to the Ukrainian settlement. They say that a settlement must come first and the projects can be implemented only afterward." Moscow believes the two countries could work for their mutual benefit without waiting for a settlement: "We believe that we do not have to wait. We could work for our mutual benefit right now. Contacts are continuing, however, as is dialogue, and this is a very positive process." Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and Special Presidential Envoy for Economic Cooperation with Foreign Countries, continues to discuss with US representatives issues related to prospects for resuming economic cooperation between the two countries: "Kirill Dmitriev continues to discuss economic issues [with the United States]." Dmitriev reports to Putin on his contacts with US representatives: "As the president’s special envoy, of course, Dmitriev reports to the head of state on his contacts." On the Ukraine settlement Ukraine has not moved any closer to negotiations over the past year, as Europe continues to obstruct the resumption of dialogue: "Ukraine has not moved closer to negotiations. Europe, too, has not moved closer to negotiations and continues to hinder the resumption of the negotiation process." On European countries’ policies Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev’s remarks regarding the need to seize every opportunity for dialogue with Russia represent a very positive development: "Such a display of political will for dialogue is undoubtedly a very positive development; we take note of these statements and carefully record them." Cautious remarks by some European politicians about the need for dialogue with Moscow have no impact on the pan-European anti-Russian mainstream: "Unfortunately, we have to state that for now these cautious remarks [by European politicians] are not being translated into reality and cannot in any way affect the pan-European mainstream of such a fiercely anti-Russian and confrontational nature." Instead of seeking ways to de-escalate tensions, "Europe has decided to build its own security identity." Europe has decided to shape its security identity by spending nearly 5% of EU member states’ budgets on it and use NATO’s image as an example, even though the alliance was created as a mechanism for confrontation rather than protection: "However, Europe is doing this in NATO’s image, and NATO was, after all, conceived from the outset as a mechanism for confrontation. It is not a mechanism designed to ensure security." NATO countries that agree to host nuclear weapons near Russia’s borders are deeply mistaken, as such deployments will not make them safer but will instead lead to escalation: "Those countries that reassure themselves by saying, ‘Let us install and deploy nuclear weapons on our territory near Russia’s borders, ’ are deeply mistaken. NATO will not provide them with any security in this way. On the contrary, such deployments will become a tool of further escalation and heightened tensions." On Russia’s warning over Kaliningrad Russia’s warning regarding the consequences of potential attempts to blockade Kaliningrad is not a confrontational statement: "The aforementioned letter and reports should not be viewed as a confrontational statement." "Kaliningrad is an integral part of Russia; it is a very important region of Russia -- its westernmost one. Essentially, the point is that Russia will undoubtedly ensure the security of this region in accordance with its legislation." Russia’s warnings about the consequences of possible attempts to blockade Kaliningrad come amid Europe’s ongoing militarization: "What is the backdrop against which these statements were made? The ongoing process of fairly rapid militarization of Europe and European countries." Most of these countries are directly involved in the Ukrainian conflict on the side of the Kiev regime by supplying it with weapons and ammunition and sending instructors: "Of course, if you take part in a war on someone’s side, this cannot but have consequences of various kinds." On the Flydubai plane incident The Kremlin called for waiting for information from the special services investigating the incident involving a Flydubai plane that flew from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday and made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia: "Here I cannot tell you for sure; probably, this should be addressed to our special services, if they have information. The incident only occurred yesterday, and an investigation is currently underway. We should probably be a little patient, and we will receive the information that the investigation deems possible to publish." On Putin’s Munich speech The West largely perceived Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Munich speech as confrontational, but it was not: "Let’s recall Putin’s Munich speech, which was also largely perceived by the West as a confrontational speech, but it was not. On the contrary, Putin openly spoke about his desire for cooperation, said that Russia was open to dialogue, but pointed out the growing contradictions and the prerequisites for confrontation that he saw." Everything Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke about and warned of in his Munich speech "has proven true.". 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