State-of-the-nation address: Russian Putin says 5 nuclear-armed states must work together to neutralize threat of ‘global war’

Russian President Vladimir Putin during a state of the nation address/RT Photo

The nuclear-armed countries, permanent UN Security Council members, must work on a common approach aimed at preventing a global war, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said.

Putin made the comments during his annual state-of-the-nation address on Wednesday.

The president said the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – the US, China, Russia, Britain and France – carry a “special responsibility for securing the sustainable development of humanity.”

These five nations must begin to devise measures aimed at neutralizing any conditions for a global war, and develop new approaches towards securing the stability of the planet.

At the same time, Russia is “not threatening anyone and does not seek to impose its will” on other countries.

Putin also noted that, for the first time in history, Russia is “not catching up” to anyone in terms of its defense capabilities.

Instead, it is the other countries that are racing to develop advanced weapons that Russia already posseses.