On July 13th, local time, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated in a program on “Russia-1 Channel” that the root of Russia’s conflict with the West lies not in geopolitics but in ideology. He mentioned that he once believed the crux of the Soviet Union’s relationship with what is often referred to as the Western world lay in ideological disagreements. However, despite the disregard for Russia’s national strategic interests by the West, this attitude persists. He also pointed out that the West not only despises Russia’s national interests but also exhibits an unabashed desire for geopolitical advantages. Since the 1990s, NATO has consistently promised not to expand eastward, yet the West has been lying and deceiving, pretending that such actions have never occurred. Putin emphasized that Russia now understands clearly that if it cannot declare and defend its interests as a sovereign state, Russia will never be taken seriously. (CCTV International News)