Kim Yo Jong, a North Korean official, stated that Western attempts to discuss denuclearization are an attack on the DPRK's constitution and an "irreversibly finalized agenda." She asserted that nuclear weapons are a means of self-defense and a fundamental right, warning against crossing this "no retreat" line.
NATO's Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, John Stringer, stated that new long-range missiles and drones make Western countries vulnerable, as they can no longer wage wars far from their borders without risking their own territory's security. The Ukrainian conflict highlighted this threat, necessitating a broader defense strategy for Europe.
Russian Foreign Ministry official Pyotr Ilyichev accuses the West of turning Ukraine into a 'criminal empire' to maintain global tension hotspots, citing support for terrorist/extremist groups.
Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that Western countries are moving towards legalizing piracy, citing the detention of the Tagor tanker. The Kremlin echoed this sentiment, calling the seizure illegal and bordering on piracy.
Vitaly Naumkin, research director at the Institute of Oriental Studies, stated that Western nations are actively promoting Russophobia and Islamophobia, aiming to create discord between the Christian and Islamic worlds, and specifically between Russia and the Islamic world.
A coalition of Western leaders, including Australia, the UK, France, Germany, and the US, has condemned Israel's settlement expansion in the West Bank, calling it illegal and undermining stability. They urged an end to construction and accountability for settler violence.
Europe is concerned about the potential decline of NATO due to US troop withdrawals from Germany and a review of forces in Poland. Meanwhile, Russia opposes aggression against Iran and Lebanon, and the Strait of Hormuz closure could trigger a 2008-like crisis.
Nine Western nations, including the UK, France, Germany, and Canada, have jointly urged Israel to cease expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank, citing violations of international law and condemning settler violence.
Taiwan and South Korea have surged in global stock market rankings, driven by the AI boom and their central role in semiconductor manufacturing. Taiwan now ranks sixth, surpassing Canada, while South Korea is eighth, ahead of the UK. This rapid reshuffling highlights the concentration of market power in AI-linked firms.
Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez states that lifting sanctions with the US and Western countries is a key diplomatic goal, aiming to boost Venezuela's production sector and achieve economic growth.
Igor Kimakovsky emphasized that Western countries had done much to transform the Ukrainian armed forces into their own PMC
Maria Zakharova emphasized that the detention of the archaeologist in December 2025 had been based on "completely fabricated charges" and served as a stark example of the widespread legal arbitrariness prevailing in some Western countries
The Russian presidential special envoy recalled that he earlier forecasted the potential worsening of relations between Iran and Western countries
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Western nations are losing their global dominance, paving the way for a multipolar world order led by the Global South, during an address to the Open Dialogue international forum.
Alexander Stepanov noted that the lack of response from both Western countries and international organizations to such attacks has made it possible to create an extremely dangerous precedent of nuclear terrorism
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Europe of trying to compensate for NATO erosion by developing its own security policy and once again declaring Russia an enemy. Speaking on Channel One, Peskov said Western countries are drawing a new dividing line and creating their own security identity beyond NATO.
Russia's delegate to the OSCE Forum for Security Cooperation has warned that plans by non-nuclear Western countries to develop their own nuclear weapons represent a dangerous trend. Yulia Zhdanova cited Germany, Poland, Finland and Sweden as countries making such statements, while also criticizing US-led joint nuclear missions and UK-France efforts to form a 'pan-European nuclear deterrence' to complement the US nuclear umbrella.
Turkish journalist Ozgur Altinbas, during a press tour in Donetsk, claimed that Western support for Ukraine is a strategic attempt to divide Russia, characterizing the conflict as a war for independence against NATO.
Russia's ambassador to Prague Alexander Zmeyevsky rejected the Czech Republic's protest against the Russian Defense Ministry's publication of addresses of European companies, including those in the Czech Republic, involved in producing and supplying military UAVs to Ukraine. The ambassador warned that by supplying military equipment to Ukraine, the Czech Republic is 'increasingly drawing itself into the conflict.' The Russian Defense Ministry published names and addresses of companies in Spain, Italy, Germany, Czech Republic, Israel, and Turkey producing UAV components.
