Putin bluntly said that he regrets it very much, where is the regret?
At the annual press conference on December 14, Moscow time, Russian Vladimir Putin answered 67 questions in a row for a full 4 hours. This press conference is of special significance because it is the first time that Putin has attended in person since the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
What is striking is that at the press conference, when Russian press secretary Dmitry Peskov asked a question by a reporter from the New York Times, Putin interjected: "I would like to ask a question from a reporter from China's Xinhua News Agency, and then I would like to ask a reporter from the New York Times." This scene has sparked various interpretations, with some believing that Putin is amusing the scene, while others believe that he is using it to demonstrate the peculiarity of Sino-Russian relations. This Russian humor is impressive.
Aside from these details, Putin made a point of mentioning his regrets during the four-hour press conference. "I shouldn't have put too much trust in the United States and its allies during my first term, it's naïve to do that," he saidLooking back on himself 20 years ago, he admits that he was "stupid and naïve" at the time, and stressed the most important warning to himself: "Don't be too naïve and gullible about the relationship between the so-called 'Western partners'." ”
When he first assumed the post of Russia, Putin, who was full of pride, showed his rich and tortuous life experience. In answering the relevant question, he even quoted Lenin's classic quote: "Comrade, you have chosen the right path!"”
From this response, we can not only feel the baptism of Putin's years, witness his transformation from a middle-aged cadre to a great national leader, but also glimpse the growth and reflection of his personal thoughts.
In the early years of the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia was faced with a major choice, a question that many Soviet-era politicians pondered. Putin, of course, is no exception. At one time, he thought about going to the West, and even proposed to the United States and Great Britain that Russia join NATO.
However, as the years passed, it turned out that the West does not really see Russia as an equal partner. After the collapse of the USSR, one would even like to see Russia fall apart again. So how can Russia, a huge country, join NATO?
Today, Putin still quotes Lenin's famous quote, which is reminiscent of a famous quote he once said: "Whoever does not feel sorry for the collapse of the Soviet Union has no conscience."
January 21, 2024, marks the 100th anniversary of Lenin's death, and there is a lot of anticipation as to whether Russia will hold such a commemoration.
In recent times, it has been observed that Putin always likes to immerse himself in the atmosphere of reminiscing about the past. For example, at a meeting on December 5, Putin shared stories of his childhood in Piatigorsk, specifically referring to his experience of being punished by his mother for being naughty when he was three or four years old.
"It's a very private matter, and I'm just going to give you the beginning," he said. My mother punished me for standing in the corner, but I don't remember why, and for a while she paced back and forth, staring at me fiercely, and asked, 'Do you want to be forgiven?'I won't go into the details, but at last she started kissing me and dragging me out of the corner with her own hands, and the whole story ended. ”
On December 5 local time, Putin participated in a meeting in Pyatigorsk, as shown in the picture: the Kremlin**.
According to the analysis of the TASS report quoted by the global network, in Putin's view, this whole thing is actually a manifestation of his mother's love for him, "This love will be deeply rooted in everyone's heart and accompany him for a lifetime in the subconscious."
This is not the first time Putin has mentioned his mother in public. He once said that his mother did not have a middle and high school education and worked as a nanny. However, in the mouth of the supreme leader of Russia, his mother was almost praised as the greatest mother.
In fact, Putin himself has admitted that he has gone through a difficult time. For example, in the early days of the collapse of the Soviet Union, he even considered driving a taxi to earn a living. But it should not be ignored that even in the midst of difficulties, Putin still insisted, "Give me 20 years, and I will give you back a stronger Russia."
Time flies, 20 years have passed. Whether Russia is stronger than it was 20 years ago seems to be difficult to conclude. After all, the Russia-Ukraine conflict remains unresolved, and domestic voices about Russia's future direction have fluctuated from time to time.
Of course, Putin has previously announced his readiness to participate in Russia in 2024 *** Will he promise to the people again to give him another 20 years to shape a stronger Russia for everyone?
At the moment, his campaign slogan has not been made public.
At a time when the world is changing and the situation is constantly evolving in a century, Putin's repentance – regret for his naivety 20 years ago – seems to be a warning to the world.