Putin blames Western globalists for European events and Ukraine conflict
Russian president cited AfD's German election win as a result of "system errors" by the West.
AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made

"I think that everything happening in Europe right now is basically the result of system errors by the so-called West ... the Western globalists in politics, security, and economics," Putin said.
Photograph: Times of India (embedded from source)
What this story says
- Russian President Vladimir Putin said events in Europe, such as the AfD's victory in Saxony-Anhalt, are the result of "system errors" by Western globalists.
- Putin also stated that the West's pressure and push for Ukraine's NATO membership caused the conflict in Ukraine.
- The Russian president made these comments during a pool report on the first day of his visit to India.
- Putin is scheduled to attend a BRICS summit in India with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Who covered it
Percentages are shares of the 27 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 42 of the 69 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .
Trust
56/100
Craft
77/100
Hype
15/100
69 sources · methodology
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on 11 September 2026 that events in Europe, including the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party's success in a state election, were caused by "system errors" made by Western globalists. Speaking to reporters in India, Putin also attributed the conflict in Ukraine to the West's actions, including pressure on Moscow and efforts to draw Ukraine into NATO. He suggested that people in Europe understand these dynamics, which he believes are reflected in recent election results and European trends. Putin is in India to attend a BRICS summit alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Disagreement on Putin's comments about the Ukraine conflict
The Times of India and The Economic Times reported that Putin said the West's actions, including pushing Ukraine toward NATO after a Russia-friendly president fled Ukraine in 2014, were the main reason for the "tragic events in Ukraine." Other reports did not include this specific detail about the 2014 events.
What the coverage left out
None of the centre or right-rated reports mentioned that the AfD must now attract defectors from other parties or reach an agreement with the small far-left BSW party to form a government in Saxony-Anhalt.
Coverage settled. We checked this 9 times and stopped on 17 Sept 2026, 14:45. The figures above are what it finished at.
How each side covered it
Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.
Left
6 rated outlets
- The left-rated outlets reported that Vladimir Putin linked the success of the AfD party in German elections to errors made by Western globalists. They stated that Putin accused European governments of provoking conflict with Russia and upsetting their citizens.
- These reports mentioned Putin's comments on Friday, attributing them to Reuters. The digests noted the AfD's first-place finish in the elections and their platform on limiting migration and restoring relations.
Centre
9 rated outlets
- Centre-rated reports led with Putin's statement that events in Europe, including the AfD's win in Germany, were caused by Western globalists. These reports carried Putin's assertion that the West's pressure and push for Ukraine's NATO membership were the cause of the Ukraine conflict. The reports noted Putin's comments were made during a pool report on the first day of his visit to India, where he is attending a BRICS summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Right
12 rated outlets
- Right-rated reports highlighted Putin's claim that events in Europe, such as the AfD's victory in Germany, resulted from "systemic mistakes" or "system errors" by Western globalists in politics, security, and economics. Several of these reports included Putin's specific assertion that the West's actions, including the eastward expansion of NATO and efforts to draw Ukraine into the alliance after 2014, were the primary cause of the conflict in Ukraine. The reports also mentioned Putin's attendance at the BRICS summit in India.
Questions about this coverage
- How did the left and right cover Putin blames Western globalists for European events and Ukraine conflict?
- Of the 27 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 22% are rated left, 34% are rated centre, 44% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 69. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
- Is Putin blames Western globalists for European events and Ukraine conflict left or right?
- Neither side dominates it. Of the 27 rated outlets on this story, 22% are rated left, 34% are rated centre, 44% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
- Is the coverage of Putin blames Western globalists for European events and Ukraine conflict biased?
- Putin blames Western globalists for European events and Ukraine conflict is one event reported by 69 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
- Which outlets covered Putin blames Western globalists for European events and Ukraine conflict?
- 69 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
- What did Vladimir Putin say about events in Europe?
- Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that events in Europe, including the AfD's win in a German state election, were the result of "system errors" committed by Western globalists. He suggested that people in Europe understand these dynamics and that these results reflect broader European trends.
- How did Putin explain the conflict in Ukraine?
- Putin attributed the conflict in Ukraine to the West's actions, including constant pressure on Moscow and efforts to "drag" Ukraine into the NATO alliance. He specifically mentioned that after a Russia-friendly president fled Ukraine in 2014, the West aimed to bring Ukraine into NATO, which he called the main reason for the current events.
- Where and when did Putin make these comments?
- Putin made these comments to reporters in a pool report on the first day of his visit to India, on Friday, 11 September 2026. He was in India to attend a BRICS summit.
Read it at the source
69 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.
Left
6- AfD victory in Germany is great news for Putin (opens Taipei Times in a new tab)
Taipei Times — is Taipei Times biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Vladimir Putin: Kremlin Chief Blames West for AfD Success – Then Follows a War Warning (opens News.de in a new tab)
- Putin: AfD's Victory Is the Result of the Mistakes of European Governments that Provoke War with Russia (opens RTV Slovenija in a new tab)
RTV Slovenija — is RTV Slovenija biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Vladimir Putin, the First Statements About the Victory of the Pro-Russian Party AfD in Germany: "Errors of the System" - HotNews.ro (opens Hot News in a new tab)
- Putin Links AfD's Success in Saxony-Anhalt Elections to West's Mistakes (opens in.gr in a new tab)
- Putin: I Think People in Europe Understand What Is Happening (opens IndexHR in a new tab)
IndexHR — is IndexHR biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
Centre
9- "Systemic Mistakes: Putin Blames "Western Globalists" for AfD Election Victory in Saxony-Anhalt (opens Der Tagesspiegel in a new tab)
Der Tagesspiegel — is Der Tagesspiegel biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Putin Comments on German Election Results: Western Elites Are to Blame (opens 24ur.com in a new tab)
- Putin says events in Europe, like AfD’s win in Germany, caused by Western globalists (opens The Mighty 790 KFGO in a new tab)
The Mighty 790 KFGO — is The Mighty 790 KFGO biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Vladimir Putin says events in Europe, like AfD's win in Germany, caused by Western globalists (opens The Economic Times in a new tab)
The Economic Times — is The Economic Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Putin says events in Europe, like AfD's win in Germany, caused by Western globalists (opens Reuters in a new tab)
- Putin Commented on the Defeat of the AfD Party in the Elections in Germany (opens ZN.UA Зеркало недели in a new tab)
ZN.UA Зеркало недели — is ZN.UA Зеркало недели biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Putin says events in Europe, like AfD's win in Germany, caused by Western globalists (opens Market Screener in a new tab)
Market Screener — is Market Screener biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Putin: events in Europe, like German election, caused by globalists in the West (opens WTVB in a new tab)
Right
12- Putin Found the Explanation for the Rise of the AfD. Who Does the Kremlin Leader Blame? (opens REALITATEA.NET in a new tab)
REALITATEA.NET — is REALITATEA.NET biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Putin Slams Western Nations at BRICS, Explains Their Mistakes (opens ABP News in a new tab)
- Ukraine War: Putin Blames "Western Globalists" for AfD Success – and Warns Europe (opens Welt in a new tab)
- Putin Leads AfD Success Back to West Mistakes (opens Kurier in a new tab)
Kurier — is Kurier biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Putin Attributes AfD Victory to Western 'Systemic Errors' (opens dagelijksestandaard.nl in a new tab)
dagelijksestandaard.nl — is dagelijksestandaard.nl biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Putin: Europe's Mistakes Brought 43.8% of AfD Votes in Saxony-Anhalt (opens Protothema in a new tab)
Protothema — is Protothema biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Everything happening in Europe is result of systemic mistakes by the West: Putin on rise of Alternative for Germany - The Tribune (opens Tribune India in a new tab)
Tribune India — is Tribune India biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Ukraine War: Putin Leads AfD Success Back to West's Mistakes (opens Handelsblatt in a new tab)
Handelsblatt — is Handelsblatt biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
Show 4 more
- Vladimir Putin says events in Europe, like AfD's win in Germany, caused by Western globalists (opens Times of India in a new tab)
Times of India — is Times of India biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Putin Attributes AfD Victory to Western ‘Systemic Errors’ (opens Reformatorisch Dagblad in a new tab)
Reformatorisch Dagblad — is Reformatorisch Dagblad biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Putin blames Western globalists for European events (opens The Straits Times in a new tab)
The Straits Times — is The Straits Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- The events in Europe were the result of systemic mistakes by Western globalists in the fields of politics, security and economics, Putin said (opens news-pravda.com in a new tab)
news-pravda.com — is news-pravda.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
Not rated
42- Who Is the Fascist in Germany? Is It the Peace-Loving AfD or Those Who Are Fanning the Flames of War? (opens Aydınlık in a new tab)
Aydınlık — is Aydınlık biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Why Europe’s far- right surgeis only just beginning (opens The Sunday Guardian Live in a new tab)
The Sunday Guardian Live — is The Sunday Guardian Live biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Putin Says AfD Victory in Saxony-Anhalt Is Due to "Systematic Mistakes" Committed by the West (opens Stirile Antena 1 Observator in a new tab)
Stirile Antena 1 Observator — is Stirile Antena 1 Observator biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Putin: Germany's Victoria AfD, an Error of the West (opens Gândul in a new tab)
- Putin Puts AfD Victory in Saxony-Anhalt on Account of "Systematic Mistakes" of the West (opens ZF.ro in a new tab)
- Putin Puts AfD Victory in Saxony-Anhalt on Account of "Systematic Mistakes" of the West (opens Mediafax in a new tab)
- Putin: Europe's Mistakes Led to 43.8% Result for Alternative for Germany in Saxony-Anhalt (opens focus-news.net in a new tab)
focus-news.net — is focus-news.net biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Vladimir Putin: "The West's Systematic Mistakes Led to This Result" - The Russian President's Caustic Comment on the AfD's Electoral Triumph in Germany (opens europost.gr in a new tab)
europost.gr — is europost.gr biased? Our profile of this outlet
Show 34 more
- Putin on the Rise of the AfD in Germany - "What Is Europe Doing? Is It Trying to Change the Outcome of World War II?" | Pandora's Box (opens koutipandoras.gr in a new tab)
koutipandoras.gr — is koutipandoras.gr biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Putin: Europeans Are Being Scared with a Russian Attack, Resulting in the Rise of Right-Wing Parties (opens Dnevnik in a new tab)
- Putin: They Are Now Saying that They Are Thinking About How They Could Send Troops to Ukrainian Territory. This Means War with Russia. Europe's Mistakes Brought 43.8% of the AfD in Saxony-Anhalt (opens Αγώνας της Κρήτης in a new tab)
Αγώνας της ΚρήτηςOpinion
- Putin Believes that the Success of AfD in the Elections in the German Saxony-Anhalt Was Due to Serious Mistakes Made by Western States (opens economica.net in a new tab)
economica.net — is economica.net biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Putin's Intervention: The West's Systemic Mistakes, the Electoral Rise of the Far-Right in Germany and the Risk of Open Conflict (opens Periodista.gr in a new tab)
Periodista.gr — is Periodista.gr biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Putin: Europe's Mistakes Brought 43.8% of AfD Votes in Saxony-Anhalt (opens ΡΕΘΕΜΝΟΣ ΕΦΗΜΕΡΙΔΑ in a new tab)
ΡΕΘΕΜΝΟΣ ΕΦΗΜΕΡΙΔΑ
- Putin: Europe Is to Blame for the Victory of the Alternative for Germany and Ukraine (opens dnevnik.bg in a new tab)
dnevnik.bg — is dnevnik.bg biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Putin: The West Is to Blame for Developments in Europe, Which Is Why There Are Such Results in Germany (opens KOHA.net in a new tab)
- Putin: Everything that Is Happening in Europe Is the Result of the Systemic Mistakes of the Western Globalists (opens Vijesti in a new tab)
Vijesti — is Vijesti biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Putin: Systematic Mistakes of Western States Responsible for Rise of AfD (opens insider.gr in a new tab)
insider.gr — is insider.gr biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Putin "Failure of the West" Responsible for Strong AfD Results (opens epochtimes.de in a new tab)
epochtimes.de — is epochtimes.de biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Putin After AfD's Victory: "The Western Globalist Elites Are to Blame for Everything that Happens in Europe" | Face | The only Independent Media House (opens face.ba in a new tab)
face.ba — is face.ba biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Putin on the Rise of the AfD in Germany: "The West and the Mistakes of European Governments Are to Blame" (opens flash.gr in a new tab)
- Putin's Message: Western Policies Are Making the AfD Bigger in Germany (opens δημοκρατία in a new tab)
δημοκρατία
- Putin Finds the Culprit for Everything: 'I Think People in Europe Understand What's Happening' (opens Net.hr in a new tab)
- Putin: AfD Benefits From the West's Mistakes – "Europe Is Leading to Conflict with Russia" (opens sofokleousin.gr in a new tab)
sofokleousin.gr — is sofokleousin.gr biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Putin on the Victory of the AfD in Germany: Western Globalist Elites Are to Blame for the Strengthening of the Extreme Right (opens Avaz.ba in a new tab)
Avaz.ba — is Avaz.ba biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Putin: Europe's Mistakes Brought 43.8% of AfD Votes in Saxony-Anhalt (opens Pentapostagma in a new tab)
Pentapostagma — is Pentapostagma biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Vladimir Putin / West's Mistakes Led to the Rise of the AfD - Europe Is "Pushing" Towards Conflict with Russia (opens avgi.gr in a new tab)
avgi.gr — is avgi.gr biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Putin Attributes AfD Victory to Western 'Systemic Errors' (opens welingelichtekringen.nl in a new tab)
welingelichtekringen.nl — is welingelichtekringen.nl biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Putin: AfD Victory Due to West ‘Systemic Errors’ (opens Nieuws.nl in a new tab)
- Putin on "Events in Europe": I Think People Understand What Is Happening, that's Why There Are Such Results in Germany (opens Klix in a new tab)
- Putin: AfD's Victory in Saxony-Anhalt Is a Consequence of Europe's Failures (opens Hospodárske Noviny in a new tab)
Hospodárske Noviny — is Hospodárske Noviny biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Putin on AfD Victory: West's Mistakes Led to This Result (opens ieidiseis.gr in a new tab)
ieidiseis.gr — is ieidiseis.gr biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Putin Comments on AfD Success in Saxony-Anhalt – and Blames the West (opens Leipziger Volkszeitung in a new tab)
Leipziger Volkszeitung — is Leipziger Volkszeitung biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Putin Blames West for AfD's Rise in Germany (opens CNN Greece in a new tab)
CNN Greece — is CNN Greece biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Putin: Mistakes of Western Countries to Blame for AfD's Strong Performance (opens enikos.gr in a new tab)
- Putin: "The West's Mistakes Led to the Rise of the AfD in Germany" (opens zougla.gr in a new tab)
zougla.gr — is zougla.gr biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Putin: AfD's Success Due to Serious Western Mistakes (opens ΑΘΗΝΑ 9,84 in a new tab)
ΑΘΗΝΑ 9,84 — is ΑΘΗΝΑ 9,84 biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Putin: AfD's Success Due to Serious Western Mistakes (opens Business Daily in a new tab)
Business Daily — is Business Daily biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Europe Faces No Threat From Russia, Putin Calls Western Claims Baseless (opens News Nation in a new tab)
News Nation — is News Nation biased? Our profile of this outlet
- EXTRAORDINARY ONLINE Russia Denies Blame for War: Putin Points Finger at West, Talks About Pressure on Moscow! (opens topky.sk in a new tab)
- The West Is to Blame for the War in Ukraine and People in Europe Understand This, Putin Said | ČeskéNoviny.cz (opens ceskenoviny.cz in a new tab)
ceskenoviny.cz — is ceskenoviny.cz biased? Our profile of this outlet
- "Events in Europe Are the Result of Systematic Mistakes by Western Globalists," Putin Says. (opens noticiaslatam.lat in a new tab)
noticiaslatam.lat — is noticiaslatam.lat biased? Our profile of this outlet
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