Medvedev on Potsdam anniversary: West’s broken promises fuel ongoing conflict
Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president and deputy chairman of the Security Council, marked the 80th anniversary of the Potsdam Conference by addressing key lessons Russia draws from those historic events and their direct relevance to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Medvedev accused the West of “directly violating” the Potsdam agreements and devaluing historic alliances, calling this a continuation of a long-standing policy aimed at undermining Russia’s sovereignty, News.Az reports, citing TASS.
“Since the era of Peter the Great, the West has sought to reduce Russia to a mere ‘stepdaughter’ of Europe, a country to be controlled and ‘re-educated,’” Medvedev said. He described a “historical anomaly” in Russia’s existence as a strong and independent state, which Western elites allegedly view as a threat to their so-called “civilizational superiority.”
On the present conflict, Medvedev argued the West is waging an effective full-scale war against Russia, forcing Moscow to respond “fully and, if necessary, with preemptive strikes.”
He reaffirmed the applicability of the “three D’s”, demilitarization, denazification, and democratization, originally formulated for Nazi Germany, to Ukraine today. Moreover, Medvedev introduced a fourth criterion for Kyiv: “deparasitization,” a term referring to ridding the country of harmful influences.
Addressing accusations of Nazism, Medvedev claimed the West not only supported Hitler initially but also worked to preserve Nazi ideology after World War II, criticizing Western “tolerance” for Nazi criminals and linking it to contemporary Russophobia.
Rejecting claims Russia plans to “attack Europe” or confront NATO directly, Medvedev called such statements “complete nonsense.”
The speech comes amid heightened tensions over Ukraine and growing criticism in the West regarding Russia’s military actions and political motives.
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