Alwaght- President Vladimir Putin has called for the establishment of an international security system open to all countries.
Addressing the closing session of the country’s parliament, the State Duma, on Wednesday, Putin said it’s necessary to create a collective security system void of "bloc-like thinking" and open to all countries.
"Russia is ready to discuss this extremely important issue," he said, adding that such proposals have been so far left unanswered by Western countries.
"But again, as it was at the beginning of WWII, we don't see any positive response," he continued. "On the contrary, NATO ups its aggressive rhetoric and aggressive actions near our borders."
"In this environment, we must pay special attention to strengthening our country's defense capabilities," he noted. Putin said that Russia will take adequate measures to counter NATO's increasingly “aggressive rhetoric."
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Russian president pointed out that terrorism has become the major threat to international security, comparing it to the rise of Nazism before WWII. He said, facing this challenge, the international community should work together rather than remain separated and divided, he said.
"What kind of lessons are needed to get rid of old-fashioned ideological discord and geopolitical games and unite in the fight against international terrorism? This common threat is rising right in front of us," Putin said.
Security issues should not prevail over economic growth and well being, the president warned: “Security and international affairs are equally important, but there is nothing more important than economy and welfare.
“These are indeed very complicated and tough issues, but our country’s future depends on how we will tackle them.”
Addressing domestic issues, the Russian president has said the Lower House has ended the work of its current term with ‘decent results’ and thanked the MPs for their will to jointly work for Russia’s security and stronger position in the international arena.
Putin spoke before the State Duma as it was wrapping up the current parliamentary session that was the last for at least some of the lawmakers. The next parliamentary elections are scheduled for mid-September.
On June 17, Vladimir Putin signed a decree stipulating that parliamentary elections be held on September 18 this year. The polls will be conducted under new rules – half of the 450 lower house MPs will be running on party lists and the other half from single-mandate independent constituencies instead of the previous system, in which all deputies were elected on party tickets.
In addition, the election threshold for parties has been lowered from seven to five percent and party registration rules have been simplified, which has resulted in a sharp increase in political competition.
