'Don't think there's any need to escalate...': What Putin said about Charlie Kirk's assassination

Russian President Vladimir Putin, while addressing the Valdai Discussion Group in Sochi on Thursday (Oct 2), said that the murder of the right-wing US political activist Charlie Kirk was “disgusting.” He also added that the murder was a proof that there was a deep divide in American society.

Putin said, “This is a disgusting atrocity, especially since it was broadcast live. We all essentially saw it. It was truly disgusting, horrific. First and foremost, of course, I offer my condolences to Mr Kirk's family and all his loved ones. We sympathise and empathise.” “What happened is a sign of a deep rift in society. In the United States, I don't think there's any need to escalate the situation externally because the country's political leadership is trying to restore order domestically,” he added.

On relations with the United States, Putin acknowledged that Russia and the US have many points of disagreement, with clashing views on numerous global issues. He noted that such differences are normal between major powers and added that the key issue lies in how these disagreements are resolved and whether they can be addressed peacefully. Putin remarked that the current White House administration expresses its interests and intentions directly and bluntly, without unnecessary hypocrisy. He observed that the US leadership appears to be primarily guided by what it perceives as its national interests, which he considered a rational approach. However, Putin asserted that Russia, in turn, also has the right to act based on its own national interests. He added that one of those interests includes the restoration of full-fledged relations with the United States.

Taking a swipe at US President's ‘paper tiger’ jibe, Putin said, “Well if we are fighting with the entire NATO bloc, we are moving, advancing, and we feel confident, and we are a paper tiger, then what is NATO itself?” Further, Putin said that he and President Trump had discussed almost nothing during their meeting, not even matters related to the bilateral agenda. Their conversation focused solely on exploring possibilities and approaches to resolving the Ukrainian crisis. He added that, in a limited and superficial manner, they also touched on the topic of restoring Russian-American relations, which he described as being not only at an impasse but at their lowest point in recent memory.