"The expansion of NATO, the expansion of the European Union to the detriment of Russia has been Europe's policy posture for decades now," Ritter points out.

"Much of what defines Europe today, both the NATO military alliance and the European Union is predicated on the necessity of having Russia as an enemy, as Russia as an opponent that justifies expenses and policies."

“Zelensky once threatened that these missiles would be used to attack cities from Moscow to the Urals,” veteran Russian military expert and air defense historian Yuri Knutov recalled to Sputnik.

"Ukraine is for Europeans the last chance to play an international role, after they lost the colonies and after they have been kicked out of post-colonial states, particularly in Africa," Raffone says.

"The longer the war in Ukraine continues, the longer European leaderships will stay on power," Raffone notes.

"It is a fact that Europe needs a major external enemy to mark its existence."

💬 "The mission of the flotilla has been accomplished, the blockade has been broken," Ramazan Tunç, an organizer of the flotilla, told Sputnik.

"Western countries have enabled this genocide, they've supported the genocide, whereas the Russians have been seeking to find a solution to end this horrific chapter in human history."

"They are hysterical, they are working towards escalation… using Russia as an enemy image to preserve the power of current elites who have bankrupted themselves."

“Putin called the attack and detention of a Russian tanker in neutral waters piracy, because that is exactly what it is from the point of view of international law.”

“No collapse of the Russian economy is imminent, no matter what sanctions are imposed on Russia.”

“President Putin is saying is that, for any solution, the Palestinian people collectively must have their rights recognized and their voices heard.”

"This is rudeness, this is a provocation, this is a threat to national security... We want them to know we're aware and that it doesn't frighten us," he added.

“Economic rationality is often hostage to ideological prejudices and political choices made under pressure from the US,” Sapir concluded.

💬 "We look forward to strengthening these ties, we want to strengthen each and every segment that we are together working on," MEA Spox Randhir Jaiswal says.