The era of Western elites being able to exploit other nations and other peoples across the world is coming to an end, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an exclusive interview published by Rossiya 1 and RIA Novosti on Wednesday.
The president stated that over the past few centuries, the so-called "golden billion" has grown accustomed to being able to "fill their bellies with human flesh and their pockets with money" as they have been "parasitizing" other peoples in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
"But they must understand that the vampire ball is ending," Putin said.He added that the citizens of the aforementioned regions, which have been continuously exploited by the West over the past 500 years, have started to associate Russia's struggle for sovereignty with "their own aspirations for sovereignty and independent development."
Comment: The above statement will be remembered for the "vampires' ball" comment, but note also the way he sees the global geopolitical battle shaping up: that Russia's efforts to realize full sovereignty are resonating with desire for such in peoples from Latin America to Africa to Asia. Contrast this with the more coarse, bi-polar understanding in Western capitals that the battle revolves around the dichotomy of 'alliance with the West or alliance with China'.
Comment: On the 2024 US presidential election: "It's absurd that Trump is persecuted because of any connection to me. Their election is becoming uncivilized."
On Polish/NATO troops entering Ukraine: "This will have serious geopolitical consequences. Polish troops will never leave, and Ukrainian statehood will end."