President Vladimir Putin vowed today to make Russia a "sovereign power" during a speech to members of the ruling party, his first campaign speech ahead of the March 2024 presidential election.
"Russia will be a sovereign and self-sufficient power, otherwise it will no longer exist at all," Putin said at the United Russia congress organized to support his candidacy.
Putin said that Russia cannot, like some countries, "give up its sovereignty in exchange for a few sausages and become someone's satellite."
Accusing the West of seeking to "collapse Russia's economy and social sphere", Putin called on the country's "patriotic forces" to join forces in dealing with the "historic tasks" ahead of Moscow.
"Together with the Russian people, we defend the sovereignty, freedom, security of Russia, everything we hold dear, our history, our culture, our values and our traditions," he added.
Putin, whose country is targeted by a series of Western sanctions and who sent his troops to invade Ukraine in 2022, said last Sunday that he intends to run for a fifth term in the March 2024 presidential election.
His re-election is certain, as any real opposition has been methodically eradicated in Russia in recent years.
The head of United Russia, former president Dmitry Medvedev said that his party will do everything to support the candidacy of Vladimir Putin.
Medvedev said that Russia is able to "resist colossal pressure" from the West and added that the response to the actions of the adversary was the resilience and unity of Russian society.
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