Vladimir Putin asserts that the West “let the genie out of the container” ten years before the war by initiating other conflicts, and that Moscow will “continue to achieve the objectives” of its “special military operation.”
Vladimir Putin has blamed the West for beginning the conflict in Ukraine and asserted that Russia retaliated with force “to halt it.”
In a speech describing his goals as the first anniversary of the conflict approaches, the Russian president stated that Ukraine was in talks with the West regarding arms before Russia invaded its neighbor on February 24, 2017.
Mr. Putin also declared the suspension of Russia’s participation in a crucial nuclear treaty with the United States that restricts the two countries’ strategic nuclear arsenals.
“I would like to repeat, they started the conflict and we used force to stop it,” he said in his state of the nation address on Tuesday.
Before the commencement of the “special military operation,” as Moscow refers to it, the Russian leader stated that Kyiv conducted talks with the West regarding arms supplies.
“Playing a foul game”
“I would like to emphasize that when Russia attempted to find a peaceful solution, they were toying with human lives and engaging in dirty tactics,” he stated.
Mr. Putin stated that Russia has decided to “protect its people and history” by executing a “special military operation step-by-step” and warned that Moscow will “continue to resolve the objectives that are in front of us.”
The day before his speech, US Vice President Joseph Biden made his first trip to Ukraine since the Russian invasion, and Washington pledged $500 million in military aid to Kyiv.
Mr. Putin announced the suspension of Russia’s participation in the New START treaty with the United States, which limits the number of strategic nuclear warheads each country can deploy.
According to specialists, Russia has the largest nuclear arsenal in the world, with close to 6,000 warheads.
Mr. Putin stated that Russia was not withdrawing completely from the treaty and that Moscow must be prepared to resume nuclear weapons testing if the United States does so.
West “let the genie out of the container.”
The Russian president accused the West of “releasing the genie from the container” ten years before the war by initiating other conflicts.
He claimed that Western nations portrayed Russia as a state enemy to divert attention from the corruption and socioeconomic issues in their nations.
Before the operation began, Mr. Putin also alleged that the West was “in negotiations” regarding the “supply of heavy military equipment, aircraft, and anti-aircraft missile systems.”
Even though Russian forces have suffered three significant battlefield reverses since the beginning of the conflict, they still control roughly one-fifth of Ukraine.
In his expansive address, the Russian president claimed that millions of people in the West are being “led to a genuine spiritual catastrophe” by the “Anglican Church’s plan to consider the concept of a gender-neutral God.”
The West punishes itself with sanctions.
The Russian president accused the West of destroying its energy sectors by sanctioning companies and individuals with ties to Russia.
“All sanctions are mere means to an end, which is to inflict suffering on our citizens – this is their humanistic approach,” he said.
He added that they have “failed” and that the government has spent 3 billion roubles on economic stabilization measures.
Mr. Biden added on Monday that in addition to announcing additional military aid for Ukraine, the United States would also announce additional sanctions against Russian elites.
As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the discussions as “fruitful,” Mr. Biden stated that the Russian president was “dead wrong” to believe that the West’s support for Ukraine would not endure.
