Putin: Russia will continue to support Syria in the fight against terrorism until its complete elimination

Moscow (ST): Russian President Vladimir Putin affirmed that his country will continue to support Syria in the fight against terrorism until its final elimination.

In his speech at the Moscow International Security Conference, Putin said that the international security system is eroding and geopolitical turmoil is increasing.He added ,”we will continue to work to calm conflicts and resolve international problems through dialogue.”

Putin indicated that most of the Syrian territories have been liberated from terrorist organizations, noting Russia’s continuous and firm support for Syria in its war on terrorism.

 Putin indicated that most of the Syrian territories have been liberated from terrorist organizations, noting that Russia’s continuous and firm support for Syria in its war on terrorism.

The Russian leader affirmed that Russia is keen on enhancing its relations with neighboring countries, and on maintaining these countries’ security and prosperity. He said that Russia also seeks a key role in settling the conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region and maintaining its peace, security and stability.

Putin made it clear that Russia is developing its defense capabilities based on the principle of “reasonable sufficiency” and it does not seek to gain unilateral military supremacy, but it will not allow any party to tilt the balance in its own favor, recalling the proposal submitted by Moscow to develop a “new security equation” that must include all factors that affect strategic stability.

On his part, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said that terrorist organizations remain a major threat to stability in the Middle East and North Africa.

After the defeat of ISIS terror organization, migration of trained terrorists to other states has been on the rise, he added, stressing that using terrorists as a means of political influence is a very dangerous game. 

He warned that the world is rapidly sliding into a new and more dangerous conflict than it was in the era of the Cold War.

He noted the escalation of military responses, indicating that NATO is strengthening its military presence and deploying weapons near the Russian and Belarusian borders and “it is being expanded from a regional alliance to an international alliance whose “main mission is to deter Russia and China.”

According to Itar Tass, Chief of the Russian Army General Staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, said that the United States is creating forward military forces to strengthen its influence in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.

He stressed that Russia’s nuclear deterrence remained an element of strategic stability.

“Russia reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in response to the use of nuclear or other mass destruction weapons against it or its allies, or in case of aggression against Russia with conventional weapons that endangers the very existence of the state,” Gerasimov said.

He added that the conditions of using nuclear weapons were strictly limited and codified.

K.Q./ Hamda Mustafa