We Must Be Ready for Anything, as 'The Stakes Are Extremely High' – Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at the plenary session of the Valdai Club, stated that the entire country is living in a period where everything is changing very rapidly.
“I would say it is changing drastically,” said the president. He emphasized the necessity of being prepared for anything.

“None of us can fully predict the future, but that does not free us from the responsibility of being ready for everything that may happen. As time and recent events show, we must be prepared for anything,” said the Russian leader.

Putin added that the stakes are “extremely high.” He also reminded that the Russian Federation has twice expressed its willingness to join the North Atlantic Alliance but was rejected on both occasions.