Vladimir Putin sent a new stern message to the West on Sunday, on the occasion of the 76th anniversary of Russia’s victory in World War II, saying that his country “will steadfastly defend” its national interests.

“Russia is consistently defending international law. At the same time, we will firmly defend our national interests to ensure the security of our people,” Putin said in a speech in Red Square, commemorating the end of the war.

He also denounced the “creepy return of ideologies of that time”, when “the slogans of racial and national superiority, anti-Semitism and Russophobia became more and more cynical”.