Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday accused the West of starting the conflict in Ukraine, saying Western countries led by the United States seek “unlimited power” in international affairs.
Putin added in a speech to parliament that “the Western money flows for war are not receding, and the West has taken the genie out of the bottle,” explaining: “They are the ones who started the war and we have done everything to prevent it.”
“It is impossible to defeat us.”
He also stressed that Western elites are responsible for the escalation in Ukraine, pointing out that the West seeks to turn a local conflict into a global one.
He also added that Russia faces an existential threat, stressing that “it is impossible to defeat our country on the battlefield. We will do everything for the return of peace to our lands.”
Step by Step
Putin made it clear that his country will decide the tasks of the special military operation in Ukraine step by step.
He also continued, “We did everything possible to solve the Donbas problem peacefully, but the West prepared a different scenario.”
And he added that Kiev had held talks with the West on arms supplies before the military operation.
Attempts to destroy the Russian economy
As for his country’s economy, Putin said that Moscow is challenging the West’s attempts to destroy the Russian economy through an unprecedented package of sanctions.
He added that trillions of dollars were at stake for the West, but that Russian income streams had not dried up.
This speech comes 3 days before the first anniversary of the start of the Russian military operation in Ukraine.
