Russian President Vladmimir Putin has warned that the world faces ‘probably the most dangerous decade’ since World War Two.
During a speech on Thursday (October 27) Putin attempted to justify his reasons for invading Ukraine, before accusing the West of playing a ‘dangerous, bloody and dirty’ game and inciting war.
Putin said: “The historical period of the West's undivided dominance over world affairs is coming to an end.
"We are standing at a historical frontier: Ahead is probably the most dangerous, unpredictable and, at the same time, important decade since the end of World War Two."
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Putin said the world was at a point where ‘the West is no longer able to dictate its will to humankind but still tries to do it, and the majority of nations no longer want to tolerate it’.
He added that ‘humankind now faces a choice: accumulate a load of problems that will inevitably crush us all or try to find solutions that may not be ideal but could work and could make the world more stable and secure’.
Elsewhere in the lengthy-speech, Putin said he would not use nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
“We see no need for that,” the Russian president said. “There is no point in that, neither political, nor military.”
He also claimed that the earlier warning that he was ready to use ‘all means available to protect Russia’ was merely made in response to Western statements about their possible use of nuclear weapons.
He then responded to former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss, who said back in August that she would be ready to use nuclear weapons if the circumstances required it.
Putin asked: “What were we supposed to do? Keep silent? Pretend that we didn't hear it?"
US President Joe Biden has said Putin is giving ‘very dangerous’ statements when it comes to the potential use of nuclear weapons.
And during a recent interview, Putin said: "Why is he talking about the ability to use a tactical nuclear weapon? If he has no intention, why does he keep talking about it?"
The president sent his troops into Ukraine on February 24 - and during the speech, he said he thought about the Russian casualties ‘all the time’ but felt that the country had no other choice.
If you would like to donate to the Red Cross Emergency Appeal, which will help provide food, medicines and basic medical supplies, shelter and water to those in Ukraine, click here for more information
Topics: Ukraine, Vladimir Putin, Russia
Claire Reid