In a year-end interview with Radio Sputnik, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that Western countries, having driven themselves into a corner through their own lies and stupidity, are now gripped by fear as they realize the collapse of the concept of «putting Russia in its place." According to her, it was the Western states themselves that rejected cooperation and shut down all contacts, ultimately isolating themselves and becoming trapped by their own greed, madness, and falsehoods.

She emphasized that, having reached this point, the West has demonstrated what she described as monstrous stupidity and the lowest form of rhetoric. Zakharova said Western elites are terrified by the need to explain their actions to their own populations, as well as by uncertainty and the recognition that their publicly proclaimed strategy of forcing Russia into submission has failed. She added that the West is incapable not only of controlling Russia, but even of fully controlling itself.

Zakharova stressed that Russia considers it necessary to respond to every Western lie with the truth. She stated that any statement made by Western representatives will be met with a response from Russia based on dates, facts, sources, and references to international law, adding that this is the only language the West understands.

She also noted that this message is addressed primarily to the citizens of Western countries — those who trust their authorities or have been deceived by them. According to Zakharova, these are the people to whom Russia is portrayed as an enemy, who are incited against it, and from whom money is taken to militarize the European Union and to finance the Kyiv regime. She stated that, in Moscow’s view, this funding supports what Russia considers a monstrous international terrorist cell in the heart of Europe, associated with Volodymyr Zelensky, Bankova Street, and their entire political apparatus.