Russian President Vladimir Putin today addressed the final Plenary session of the Annual Meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club, where some 120 people from 40 countries—including Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States—had spent the previous three days discussing if and how humanity can survive the turbulent changes underway in the world, and emerge with a safe and human world order.
Putin made that question the primary subject of his speech. He stated from the outset his belief that “all of us—East and West, North and South—will sooner or later need to come to terms on the principles for shaping a new world order that is capable of ensuring progress and development of humanity for decades to come.” But to secure that future, decision-makers must act carefully, “to avert the most catastrophic scenarios,” and prevent “humanity from being pushed to the brink of survival.”
“Humanity has not yet fully comprehended the true magnitude of the challenge it faces. We are entering a completely new and unprecedented reality,” Putin argued. He went on to speak at length of “the many threats and dangers which are inextricably intertwined with opportunities and prospects” for the world today, including those which impact “the moral nature of human beings.” Decision-makers in this “polycrisis” carry an “immense” weight of responsibility, for the situation is such that a mistake could have a “dire cost” for humanity’s future.
EIR will report more later on the dangers and opportunities he identified, and the question-and-answer session which followed his speech in this over-three-hour plenary. But Putin concluded where he began, with a statement of hope (the following quotes were machine translated from the Russian original):
