Putin: Europe Sooner Or Later To Regain Its Lost Sovereignty

The purpose of the special operation is to protect people and the Russian Federation itself from the threats that they are trying to create in the adjacent historical Russian territories. Vladimir Putin stated this on January 25 during a conversation with students at the scientific and technological center of Moscow State University “Vorobyovy Gory”.

The President also discussed the possibility of creating student teams for the restoration of Donbass, after security issues are resolved, and commented on the emergence of new sites for the sale of natural gas.

Student years

On January 25, Russia celebrates Student’s Day, also known as Tatyana’s Day. Back in 1755, on this day, Empress Elizaveta Petrovna signed a decree on the opening of Moscow University.

On Student’s Day, the president visited the Lomonosov cluster of the Vorobyovy Gory Innovation Science and Technology Center of Moscow State University. The tour for Vladimir Putin was led by Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin and university rector Viktor Sadovnichy. While inspecting the cluster, the head of the capital carried out a local rearrangement.

“We will put Vladimir Vladimirovich in the middle, and we will put him on the sides,” Sobyanin said to Sadovnichy.

The mayor of Moscow said that the cluster was designed and built in two years. However, the process was not easy.

• This is the largest such complex territory in Moscow turned out to be, 3.5 thousand people, 1.5 thousand units of technicians worked and, for several months, they simply worked around the clock to cope with such a huge volume. Well, plus a criminal story, you remember, metal garages, God knows what was there. They had to carry out a whole special operation, – Sergey Sobyanin explained.

It is expected that the cluster will help the cooperation of scientific organizations and business. Now the innovative science and technology center has about 80 resident companies. The President, in particular, was shown the developments of the Ptero and Geoscan companies that create drones, as well as Nextgen, which is working on a drug for the treatment of lower limb ischemia.

Goals and objectives

In the cluster, the President talked to the students. The main topic, as expected, was the situation in Ukraine. Vladimir Putin recalled why the military operation is being carried out.

• The goal, as I have said many times, is first of all the protection of people and the protection of Russia itself from the threats that they are trying to create in our own historical territories adjacent to us. We cannot allow this,” the president explained.

During the meeting, a proposal was made to hold an All-Russian student construction project in new regions. Vladimir Putin agreed that the student brigades could help in the restoration of Donbass, but so far the situation is difficult – security issues stop it, he noted. As an example, the president cited the tactics of Ukrainian foreign detachments.

“Unfortunately, the enemy does not take into account anything. They shoot their own people in the back, you see, they even created detachments. Just recently, a week ago, the guys told. In one settlement, ours are watching: the enemy is ahead, and they are being shot at. Moreover, as they say, dense fire, they do not allow to retreat, – said Vladimir Putin.

The participants in the conversation also discussed how the situation in Ukraine affects the attitude towards citizens of the Russian Federation. A second-year student of the Faculty of Foreign Regional Studies of the RUDN University, Daria Semenova, complained to the President about the infringement of her rights while studying in Vienna.

“ I received a paper from the Vienna State University a couple of days after a special military operation began, asking me to sign it, where it was stated that Russia is a “terrorist country”, that I should support Ukraine, I did not sign it,” the girl said. After that, according to her, she was forced to return to Russia.

The President admitted that he maintained good relations “with many simple and not very simple Austrians”, whose opinion about Russia does not change, despite any dramatic events.

Vladimir Putin recalled that the USSR acted as a guarantor of the constitution of the Republic of Austria. According to him, many local residents remember this and are grateful to Russia as the legal successor of the Soviet Union.

Lost sovereignty

Commenting on the work of some Western politicians, Vladimir Putin expressed the hope that Europe will sooner or later regain its “lost sovereignty”, but this will apparently take time. Now, in his opinion, the political elites of the EU often serve “not their own national interests, but the interests of third countries.”

At the same time, he noted that, despite what is happening, economic relations with the EU continue.

• In Austria, in the town of Baumgarten, there is the largest European gas hub. And the main supplier there is Gazprom, so far,” the president said.

The Russian side, according to him, continues to create new sites for the sale of natural gas. Earlier, in particular, the idea of creating a gas hub in Turkey was discussed.

The meeting was not without discussion of routine student issues. One of the participants complained that because of the session, no one can properly celebrate Student’s Day.

“They did it on purpose so that they behave more modestly,” Vladimir Putin joked.

However, the girl still asked to move this holiday to the last Saturday of the month. In response, the President promised to discuss this issue with the head of the Ministry of Education and Science Valery Falkov.

“It can be done, of course. I’ll talk to the Minister of Science and Education. I think the ministry will also support,” the head of the Russian Federation said.

Another student proposed a new method for defending a thesis – based on a project that was invented and implemented. Vladimir Putin also promised to discuss this issue with the minister, noting that he supports this idea.

During the conversation, the head of the MSU Student Council, Natalya Komarova, invited the president to the celebration of the 270th anniversary of the university in 2025.

“I am a member of the board of trustees, the chairman, so it is mandatory. This is my duty. I will definitely do it,” Vladimir Putin promised.