“We have to aim our missile systems at facilities that are threatening us. The situation becomes more tense,” the president told Oliver Stone. His remarks form part of a series of interviews with the American film director. “The Putin Interviews” that will be aired next week.
Showtime has released several interview segments on Russia-NATO relations as well as a discussion on numerous assassination attempts on the Russian president.
Putin called NATO an an instrument of American foreign policy, and said the alliance’s members inevitably become US “vassals”.
“Once a country becomes a NATO member, it is hard to resist the pressures of the US. And all of a sudden any weapons system can be placed in this country. An anti-ballistic missile system, new military bases and if need be, new offensive systems,” Putin said.
Stone claimed he had credible information that the Russian leader had survived at least five assassination attempts, stopped by his security team: “I do my job and the Security Officers do theirs, and they are still performing quite successfully,” Putin said, adding, “I trust them.”
Several clips, published on Tuesday by Showtime covers the state of US-Russian relations, which both countries have acknowledged are at the lowest point since the Cold War.
Putin explained that no country on earth would survive should the world’s most powerful nuclear states unleash their atomic weapons after Stone, asked the Russian president if he believes the US might emerge victorious if such a conflict were to break out. “I don’t think anyone would survive such a conflict,” Putin replied.
During one of the interviews, Stone and Putin are in the situation room where the Russian leader follows developments in the Syrian war theater.
Citing a Russian proverb, Putin told Stone that “those who are destined to be hanged are not going to drown”.