Putin warns of growing threat of nuclear war

At his annual press conference for the year, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned of the growing threat of nuclear war, writes CBS.

Photo by: kremlin.ru

“The danger of an escalation of the situation is being played down,” Putin told a crowd of journalists in Moscow on Thursday. “If something like this happens, it could lead to the collapse of the entire civilization.”

Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump announced his intention to withdraw the United States from the Treaty on Medium-Range Nuclear Missiles (INF), the Cold War era nuclear weapons treaty, during which there were no nuclear weapons in Europe for 30 years.

“I believe that humanity will have the necessary common sense to avoid any extremes,” Putin said, noting that if the United States were to deploy intermediate-range missiles in Europe, Russia would take countermeasures.

Photo by: kremlin.ru

Welcoming the US withdrawal from Syria

“I generally agree with the president of the United States,” Putin told reporters on Thursday, welcoming Trump’s decision to withdraw US troops from Syria. He did, however, express some skepticism about whether Trump would actually follow through with his plan.

“American forces have been present in Afghanistan for about 17 years, and every year they talk about withdrawing... but they are still present there,” Putin said.

The Russian president reaffirmed his long-standing position that the US military participation in Syria is illegal because it was not approved by the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad or authorized by the UN Security Council.

“We see no signs of American troops leaving Syria,” Putin said. “But we see that it is possible.”

Мария Бутина

“I don’t know what she can confess to,” Putin said of Maria Butina, who is currently being held in the United States after pleading guilty to acting as a hidden agent for the Russian government. Butina, a Russian citizen, was accused of trying to infiltrate conservative political groups in the United States.

“She did not act under any direction or any (instruction) from the Russian authorities,” Putin continued, suggesting she may have pleaded guilty due to threats or intimidation.

However, Putin said that the Russian state "is not indifferent to its future. We will support her as much as we can. ”

Press conference, known for its spectacle

Photo by: kremlin.ru

Putin spoke with the media during a large-scale annual press conference at which 1702 journalists were accredited. In past years, the conference lasted more than four hours and was known for its theatrical performance.

Photo by: kremlin.ru

Although representatives of the international press attend it, most questions are usually asked by local journalists from all over Russia. Competing with each other for attention, they wave with bright signs to be noticed. This year, participants were asked to limit the size of their posters so as not to block television cameras.

Photo by: kremlin.ru

Read also on ForumDaily:

US Senate stands for operation in the Black Sea against Russia

United States expanded sanctions against Russia

'The apple has nowhere to fall!': A famous comedian spoke about gays in Russian politics

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.