Putin Warns Against 'Illusory' Attempts To Defeat Russia & America's 'Big Mistake' Of Weaponizing Dollar

At the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, President Vladimir Putin warned that efforts to defeat Russia on the battlefield are "illusory" and that Moscow's adversaries aim to deal the country a strategic defeat. Putin stated that the Ukraine conflict has become a proxy war, with Ukraine being exploited to create critical threats to Russia's security. He also accused the West of ignoring legitimate concerns and violating the rights of Russian-speaking individuals, particularly in the Donbass region. Putin emphasized the need for a stable and fair Eurasian security order through alliances like BRICS. He also addressed the Gaza crisis, stressing that the region is on the brink of full-scale war and that establishing an independent Palestine is vital for peace in the Middle East. Putin condemned forces seeking to dominate everything and everyone, eroding regional and global strategic stability. He criticized Washington's "big mistake" of 'weaponizing' the dollar, which undermines confidence in the currency and reduces its capabilities. Putin explained that Russia is not trying to drop the dollar but is forced to look for alternatives due to being prevented from working with it. Other leaders, including Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro and China's President Xi Jinping, also addressed the forum, with Xi stating that BRICS could be a "stabilizing force for peace" and calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres criticized the Russian invasion of Ukraine, describing it as a "dangerous precedent" for the world.