NextFin news, Russian President Vladimir Putin criticized Japan on Sunday, August 31, 2025, accusing it of reviving militarism under the pretext of a fabricated threat from China and Russia. The comments were made in a written interview with China's state-run Xinhua News Agency ahead of Putin's visit to China.
Putin emphasized the historical cooperation between the Soviet Union's Red Army and Chinese forces in defeating Japan during World War II, which he said ended the war. He accused Japan of using the so-called China-Russia threat as a false justification to restore militarism.
The Russian president highlighted the military aid provided by the Soviet Union to China during Japan's invasion, stating that China's resistance prevented a Soviet attack by Japan, allowing the Soviet Union to focus on fighting Nazi Germany. He also claimed that the Soviet offensive in Manchuria forced Japan to surrender.
Putin's remarks came ahead of his attendance at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China, starting Sunday, where he is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday, September 2, and participate in the 80th anniversary of the victory over Japan commemorative event in Beijing on Wednesday, September 3.
Putin reiterated the strong partnership between China and Russia, both politically and historically, and condemned what he described as the glorification of Nazism and militarism by Europe and Japan, as well as historical distortions.
However, Putin did not mention historical facts such as the role of the Kuomintang under Chiang Kai-shek in the war against Japan or the Cold War-era conflicts between China and the Soviet Union.
The Russian presidential office released the interview on Sunday, August 31, 2025, confirming the timing and context of Putin's statements.
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