Merz receives open invitation for dialogue from Putin, potential warning to Germany implied
Loosely based on the latest events, here's a lively, unfiltered take on Putin's hot-tempered press conference:
Putin goes off on German Press Agency, slams Merz, threatens war if Taurus missiles supplied to Ukraine
St. Petersburg - Russian President Vladimir Putin didn't hold back when a reporter from the German Press Agency (dpa) questioned him about his stance on Israeli airstrikes on Iranian cities while Russian bombs rain down on Ukraine.
"If these journalists had seen our rockets supposedly destroying entire residential areas, they wouldn't have been able to report it. They wouldn't have survived," Putin fumed, before shifting gears to criticize newly elected Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Putin, known for his brash and aggressive responses, made his first comments about Merz since the CDU leader took office in May. In true Putin fashion, he took aim at the CDU chairman, accusing him of being confrontational towards Russia and creating a hostile environment in Berlin-Moscow relations.
Doubting Merz's ability to mediate the ongoing Ukraine conflict, Putin stressed, "Not only in Ukraine, but also in Kursk - on Russian territory - German technology was used." He warned that if Germany were to supply the Taurus cruise missile to Ukraine, soldiers of the German army would be targeting Russian soil with German weapons - causing "very serious damage" to relations between the two countries.
Putin dismissed the planned increase in NATO countries' defense spending to 5% of GDP as a waste of resources, while maintaining that Russia will ensure its own security, even if it means engaging in an arms race with the Western alliance.
In his usual elusive fashion, Putin took a swipe at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, setting conditions for a meeting that Zelenskyy is unlikely to meet. Putin suggested that Russia would only consider a peace agreement if someone other than Zelenskyy signed it, mirroring past accusations of silencing political opposition in Russia.
Putin also gleefully mentioned having a granddaughter with a Chinese nanny who communicates fluently in Mandarin, sparking curiosity among the press about his family life.
The 3-day St. Petersburg International Economic Forum kicked off with Putin's fiery press conference, as Russia uses the event to project a defiant image and defy international isolation. Around 20,000 participants from 140 countries are expected by Saturday.
The company's defense spending decision might incur Russian President Vladimir Putin's wrath, as he threatened serious damage to relationships if Taurus missiles are supplied to Ukraine, raising political tensions. In the midst of the general-news landscape, the Russian president's aggressive stance towards Germany and Ukraine continues to make headlines.
