Putin Tells Valdai Plenary, West Can Find More Money for Ukraine, but Only by Worsening Its Own Situation

Oct. 8, 2023, (EIRNS)—Asked at the Valdai Discussion Club plenary on Oct. 5, whether Washington would be able to “cope” with the Ukraine funding crisis, Russian President Vladimir Putin responded:

“Of course, they will cope with it; I do not see any problem with expanding production and increasing the amount of money directed towards the war to prolong this conflict.... If there is a delay, as you said, in the United States, it is more of a technical, or political and technical nature, so to speak, and is caused by budget issues, heavy debt burden, and the need to balance the budget. The question is how to balance it? Is it by supplying weapons to Ukraine and reducing budget expenditure, or by cutting social spending? No one is willing to cut social spending, since this move would strengthen the opposition party. That’s it.

“Eventually, they will probably find the money, and print some more. They printed over $9 trillion during the pandemic and post-pandemic period, so they will not think twice about printing more and spreading it worldwide, thereby exacerbating food inflation. They will most likely do that....

“Can Europe manage or not? It can. But how? At the expense of the further worsening of its economy and the lives of the people in the European states.”