MOSCOW, October 7. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin's birthday schedule, the possibility of his conversation with US leader Donald Trump, as well as the EU's militarization were the main topics of a briefing by Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday.
TASS has compiled the key statements of the Kremlin representative.
About the president's schedule
- Russian President Vladimir Putin is holding a series of international telephone conversations today, and foreign leaders are congratulating him on his birthday: "Putin works in the Kremlin. Today he has a whole series of international telephone conversations. We will prepare a single message for you. I think we'll give it to you within a couple of hours. We will inform you about all the telephone conversations that the president will have today. Of course, people congratulate him on his birthday, but in some conversations substantive issues are raised briefly."
- After the international telephone conversations, Putin will hold an operational meeting with the standing members of the Security Council.
- The presidential administration hopes that Putin's schedule will allow time for his family to wish him a happy birthday in the evening: "We in the administration sincerely hope that in the evening Putin will give his family and friends the opportunity to wish a happy birthday. Of course, we all join in these congratulations."
On the possibility of a conversation between Putin and Trump
- A telephone conversation between Putin and US President Donald Trump, which was announced by the American leader, has not yet been agreed upon in detail: "No, there has been no specific discussion of the conversation."
- It can be quickly agreed upon if there is such an initiative from the US: "If there is such an initiative, I have no doubt that it will be promptly agreed upon."
On the militarization of the EU
- Europe is gripped by plans to militarize the EU: "Europe is obsessed with plans to militarize the EU, or the economic bloc, turning it into a military-political bloc. That is, there will now be three dimensions, as far as we understand - economic and military-political."
- The EU is shaping its defense policy on the idea of confrontation with Russia. This is a dead-end path that will not lead to anything good: "This is bad because they are building their defense and security identity on the basis of confrontation with the Russian Federation - this is a dead end, as history shows, it does not lead to anything good."
- The Kremlin regards French President Emmanuel Macron's words about the testing of the M51.3 sea-based strategic ballistic missile as a "loud and clear message," as he himself said: "As a loud and clear message, we regard it as he said."
- Russia is taking all necessary measures to ensure security as Europe militarizes, but it still remains open to dialogue: "We, and president [of Russia Vladimir Putin] have repeatedly said this, are taking all necessary measures to ensure our national security at a strategic level. But at the same time, as the president has repeatedly said, we are open to dialogue. We believe that any problems should be solved not by demonstrative missile launches, but by dialogue."
- As aggressive rhetoric pours in from Europe, Russia remains alert and closely monitors the situation: "Of course, against the background of such aggressive actions, against the background of such plans, Russia, as our minister has already said, is on the alert, we are closely monitoring all this."
On the Ukrainian settlement
- Russia is grateful to India for its willingness to make every possible contribution to the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict and for the ideas it expressed: "The Indian side really declares its readiness to make every possible contribution to the settlement of the situation around Ukraine, and we are grateful to our Indian friends for such willingness and for the ideas that are expressed."
On the escalation in the Middle East
- Russia is watching the conflict between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia with concern, but so far no one has approached Moscow for mediation: "No one has approached the Russian Federation for mediation in this conflict. The situation is indeed extremely worrying, and tensions in the Persian Gulf region are already off the charts. This is why we are watching what is happening with concern."
About the epidemiological situation in the Irkutsk Region
- Russia’s sanitary watchdog Rospotrebnadzor regularly publishes expanded information on the epidemiological situation in the Irkutsk Region, it is on these data that we need to rely: "We need to focus on the statements and information from our head office, the department of Anna Popova, who, by the way, posted additional expanded information on her website yesterday."
- The World Health Organization was appropriately briefed about the situation with pneumonia of unknown etiology in the Irkutsk Region: "The World Health Organization was briefed accordingly, in accordance with current practice."
- The media stories about the epidemiological situation in the Irkutsk Region are mostly false: "The media reports a lot, and the vast majority of what the media reports about this situation is false information."
- It is necessary to focus on the Rospotrebnadzor information: "Focus on the information of Rospotrebnadzor, on Popova’s statements and the statements of her representatives."
