Putin says ready to meet with Zelenskyy, but casts doubts on his legitimacy
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he is ready for talks with Vladimir Zelenskyy, but it is unclear “who will sign the documents.” “We are ready to meet, and I have said, by the way, that I am ready to meet with everyone, including Zelenskyy. Yes. That is not the issue. If the Ukrainian state trusts someone to conduct negotiations, then for God’s sake, let it be Zelenskyy. But that’s not the point,” Putin said at a meeting with international media leaders. He noted that Ukraine can entrust the negotiations to anyone, but what is important is not the process itself, but who has the right to sign the agreements. According to Putin, under the Ukrainian Constitution, the president is elected for a five-year term, which cannot be extended, even under martial law. He stressed that if the head of state is illegitimate, then the entire government appointed by that head of state is also illegitimate. Putin assured that he is not abandoning dialogue but stressed the need for serious preparation and political clarity to reach final agreements (Interfax).
Political analyst says Russia-NATO conflict will “destroy Baltics”
Russian political analyst and columnist Dmitry Bavyrin said in his article on RIA Novosti that in the event of a conflict between Russia and NATO, Estonia, like the other “Baltic republics,” may cease to exist as a state. He expressed this opinion in response to a statement by Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna that “if Russia comes, we will bring war to Russia.” According to Bavyrin, NATO significantly outnumbers Russia in terms of traditional weapons, so that Moscow will resort to unconventional methods in the event of a threat, including possible strikes on infrastructure in NATO’s “combat springboard countries.” The Baltic states, according to the author, are provoking war without believing in its reality and are engaging in military symbolism instead of real defense. He calls the Estonian elite irresponsible and rhetoric such as Tsahkna’s statements a dangerous game that could lead to catastrophic consequences (ria.ru).
Yakovenko: Deglobalization and energy change the economy
At the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, the Roscongress Foundation, which is the forum’s organizer, presented a review entitled “Militarization and Tariff Wars,” which identifies the key economic trends for 2025. In an article on RIA Novosti, Alexander Yakovenko, former rector of the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry, outlines the main points of the review, including deglobalization, rising protectionism, a 5.5–8.5% decline in world trade, and inflationary risks. According to him, if the situation in the Middle East escalates, the price of oil could reach $200 per barrel. The author notes that the role of energy is growing: gas exporters and countries with nuclear power generation and low costs, such as the U.S., are benefiting. Yakovenko states that the increase in energy demand is linked to AI and robotization. He claims that the upcoming changes could lead to a global redistribution of power, accompanied by geopolitical upheavals (ria.ru).
Shevtsov: Modern technologies used to destabilize CSTO countries
The growth of information and communication technologies (ICT) is increasing threats to national security, Alexei Shevtsov, first deputy secretary of the Russian Security Council, said at the first International Conference of CSTO States on Cyber Security on June 19. According to him, modern technologies are increasingly being used as a tool to destabilize the socio-political situation, including in scenarios of so-called “color revolutions,” in which information influence on society plays a key role. Shevtsov stressed that such risks require coordinated action by CSTO allies and the strengthening of cybersecurity measures against the backdrop of global challenges in the digital sphere (EADaily).
Zakharova: BRICS media offers an objective alternative to Western media
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum that European people are losing trust in their media. According to her, more and more Europeans are turning to alternative sources of information, such as Russian, Turkish, Arab, and Latin American media. The diplomat believes this is due to the ideological bias and radicalization of the Western media. In contrast, Zakharova continued, the media in the BRICS countries strive for objectivity. “We exist, we have established ourselves, we are different, we are free, we act according to the law, we act in accordance with moral and ethical norms that are no less relevant to journalism than the law and legal norms. In this regard, efforts to consolidate information cooperation within BRICS, which we regularly discuss, are particularly important,” Zakharova said (EADaily).