Russian President Vladimir Putin used unusually harsh language against Europeans on Wednesday (12/17/2025), accusing them of planning to dismantle Russia. Putin characterized Europeans as scoundrels and pigs, causing a sensation with the severity of his expressions, as the Russian President does not typically resort to such heavy insults.
The term "European pigs" used by Putin sparked immediate discussion regarding geopolitical rhetoric and Russia's political practices. "Everyone believed they would destroy and dismantle Russia in a short period of time," Putin stated, arguing that US allies in Europe immediately joined the efforts of the previous American administration, hoping to reap benefits from an eventual Russian collapse.
The Russian President spoke of historical motives and a desire for revenge, emphasizing that certain European elites "wanted to regain what they lost in previous historical periods and take their revenge." As he pointedly mentioned, Ukraine was turned into a field for the implementation of these designs.
According to him, the military conflict in Ukraine served as a tool for a broader plan of destabilization and the collapse of Russia, with the active participation of European countries.
The use of the term "pigs" in political rhetoric
This phrase used by Putin regarding European politicians fits into a long tradition of Russian political rhetoric that combines aggressive language with the goal of strengthening domestic political standing and gaining acceptance for foreign policy.
According to Moscow Philology Professor Pavel Balditsyn, this term has a specific symbolic meaning related to livestock. Pavel Balditsyn's observation that the term "pig" is used to characterize a state of degradation or insult carries deep meaning in this context. When used to describe political leaders, the goal is to expose them as incompetent and subservient to foreign powers. Specifically, the "piglets" mentioned by the professor appear to signify states or political leaders who faithfully follow the dictates of the USA, at a time when Russia views the West as a threat to its sovereignty and independence.
Subservient Europeans and the threat to Russia
The specific rhetoric used by Putin reveals a more general trend in his political discourse, according to which Russia is the victim of a global conspiracy in which Europeans are participants. The term "pigs" used for Europeans, beyond the insult, implies Russia's intense dissatisfaction with the policies of European states, which are considered to serve US interests.
This discourse also brings back the perception of Russia as an "authentic" defender of sovereignty and independence against forces seeking the country's destabilization. The reference to US President Donald Trump as the central figure behind the "ridiculous" behavior of European politicians reinforces the image of the Western world as a power that violates national sovereignty and Russia's rights.
Russia as defender of the new alternative global order
On the other hand, in 2007, when Putin referred to the US and its global influence, he spoke of a world in which the United States imposes its laws on everyone, which reinforces the perception that Russia is fighting against a global establishment that considers it outside the West's geopolitical games.
This political line is not limited to foreign policy but also incorporates the image the Russian government wishes to project for itself: as a defender of an alternative order, which opposes Western "degeneracy" and US interests.
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