Afrasianet - Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed, in his speech at the Valdai Forum, that the current crisis affects everyone and that humanity is facing two paths, noting that the world is heading towards a multipolar path.

 On Thursday, the Russian President's speech at the plenary session of the Valdai Forum included various pressing political and economic issues facing the world, and the following are his most prominent statements:

Putin: The situation in the world is heading towards the worst-case scenario.

Putin: The West ignited the war in Ukraine and made a number of systematic errors. Putin: The West ignores the interests, values and cultures of other countries.

Putin: The West is trying to get everyone to obey it.

 Putin: The crisis is affecting everyone now, and there are no illusions.. Humanity has two paths, either moving forward towards collapse, or working on a new system together.

 Putin: Events have pushed environmental issues into the background, at a time when these fundamental threats have not disappeared and the ecological imbalance remains a challenge for all of us.

 Putin warns the West: He who sows the wind reaps the storm.

Putin: From the West's excessive confidence in infallibility, between eliminating and destroying opponents is one step.

 Putin: The Russian philosopher Alexander Zinoviev said twenty years ago that what the West needs for life is to have the planet Earth and all human resources under its control.

Putin criticizes the assassination of Qassem Soleimani by the West.

 Putin: The West killed Qassem Soleimani on the territory of a third country.

 Putin: The vast majority of countries now demand democracy in international affairs, and do not accept the dictates of states.

 Putin: We have regions in Russia where they celebrate all the special occasions of different religions: Islam, Christianity, Buddhism.

 Putin: It is impudent that the West frankly acknowledged financing the coup in Ukraine in numbers.

 Putin: No one will be able to dictate to Russia what kind of society it should live in and what values it should follow.

Putin: It is necessary to open channels of dialogue between civilizations, and to search for the essence of human existence in which we all meet.

Putin: Let them do whatever they want at gay rallies and so on, but what they don't have the right to is forcing others to live in the same frames.

Putin: Russia is not an enemy of the West.

Putin: The political character of Europe today is very limited.

Putin: There is the traditional West that is linked to religions and even ancient history, which Russia considers close to them, and there is another aggressive and colonial West far from Russian values and principles. Putin: Unlike in the West, we enter homes through the doors, not from the backyard.

Putin: It is impossible for Russia to implement the scenario of destruction or turn it into a tool to achieve geopolitical goals.

Putin: Russia tried to build relations with the West and NATO, and its message was: "Let's live together."

Putin: Confronting dictatorship in international affairs is only possible through the development of countries and peoples.

Putin: Russia is seeking to create new international financial platforms in the world that do not depend on a single control center.

Putin: The United States and the West have destroyed the credibility of the dollar and reserve currencies by seizing Russian reserves.

Putin: Settlement in national currencies will gradually dominate the world, and the majority should benefit from global trade and not from "individual super-rich companies".

Putin: Technological development should not increase global inequality, it should reduce it. This is how Russia implements its policies.

Putin: The collapse of the Soviet Union upset the geopolitical balance in the world.

Putin: The world is going through a historical turning point, the most dangerous and important since World War II. Putin: The period of absolute domination of the West in world affairs is coming to an end.

Putin: Change has been going on for many years, that formative change in the world like the layers of the Earth are in constant motion. There is permanent change.

Putin: New powers are emerging in Asia and Africa with broad prospects, despite being poor up to now.

Putin: I assure that what happens in the end will be in the interest of Russia and its future.

Putin: Recognizing the independence of the Donbass republics was not enough, and they should have joined Russia.

Putin: As long as nuclear weapons exist, there is always a danger of their use.

Putin on dialogue with the United States: We are ready to solve any issue.

Putin: The United States has not yet caught up with Russia in making hypersonic weapons. Putin: Erdogan is a permanent and reliable partner.
Putin: All religions in Russia are very patriotic.

Putin: Russia offered Armenia a plan for Karabakh, but Yerevan decided to go its own way. Putin: The Russian economy has adapted to the sanctions and has passed the difficult stage. Putin: Western partners are doing everything to discredit and humiliate Russia. Putin: The statements that Russia blew up the North Stream pipelines are "crazy".