ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin made the following comments at a plenary session of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum on Friday. Putin spoke in Russian.

Vladimir Putin outlined Iran-Israel peace plan, affirmed economic strength, and addressed NATO concerns at SPIEF 2025.

Vladimir Putin expressed worry about a possible World War III. He cited conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. Putin mentioned talks with Benjamin Netanyahu, Masoud Pezeshkian, and Donald Trump. He criticized Western dominance and promoted a balanced world order.

By Ben Aris in Berlin “Ukraine is part of Russia,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his keynote address at this year’s St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) plenary session on June 20,

By Guy Faulconbridge and Vladimir Soldatkin ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin quipped on Friday that in his view the whole of Ukraine was "ours" and cautioned that advancing Russian forces could take the Ukrainian city of Sumy as part of a bid to carve out a buffer zone along the border.

But Putin, speaking at an international economic forum in St Petersburg, said Russia had never doubted Ukraine's right to sovereignty, but noted that when Ukraine declared its independence in 1991 it was as a "neutral state".