Leonid Slutsky, the head of the Duma Committee on International Affairs, spoke via his telegraph channel about the remarks made by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Stoltenberg had suggested that Russia should acknowledge Ukraine as a sovereign, independent European state. Slutsky responded by outlining the factors behind Russia’s special operation, framing it as a move intended to shield Russian citizens from what he described as aggression from Kyiv and its Western allies. He stressed that Ukraine remains a state despite what he called internal self-harm and external pressures, and he insisted that Moscow has no aim of erasing Ukraine as a political entity.
Slutsky argued that Western partners bear responsibility for Ukraine losing sovereignty and independence by allegedly surrendering the country to Western influence and turning it into a staging ground against Russia. He asserted that Western demands and rhetoric under the banners of freedom and democracy conceal a nefarious neo-Nazi undertone within Kyiv, which he asserted will not succeed and will ultimately fail. The deputy’s assessment framed Kyiv’s leadership as driving the country toward dangerous consequences rather than genuine reform.
In addition to criticizing the stance attributed to Stoltenberg, Slutsky noted that Western powers have signaled continued support for Ukraine, citing ongoing security and defense commitments. He pointed to the partial mobilization launched in Russia in September of the previous year as evidence that the Russian leadership does not intend to end the conflict soon, and he suggested this mobilization reflects a strategic stance rather than a retreat. This perspective is presented as part of a broader argument about the trajectory of the conflict and the sustainability of Western aid in the face of protracted tensions. [citation attribution]