loading…
Putin: Russia Has Been Trying To Normalize Relations With Ukraine For Several Decades. PHOTO/Reuters
MOSCOW – Russia been patiently trying to normalize the situation with Ukraine for decades, but the situation changed after the state coup in 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday (14/3/2023).
“In fact, we have been patiently trying to normalize relations with the modern Ukrainian state for decades,” Putin said, as quoted by the TASS news agency.
The statement was made by Putin at a meeting with workers at the Ulan-Ude aircraft manufacturing plant. “The situation changed dramatically in 2014 when a Western-instigated state coup was carried out,” he continued.
According to Putin, in relations with Ukraine, Russia relies on those who consider themselves part of the great Russian world, but in 2014 their extermination began.
“We are not relying only on the Russian-speaking population (in Ukraine). The whole country there is basically Russian-speaking. We are relying on those who consider themselves part of the great Russian world, part of our culture, part of our language environment and part of traditions with us. We are counting on these people,” Putin said.
Putin stressed that “after 2014 the physical extermination of those who advocated the development of normal relations with Russia began”. The President recalled that when the Crimea issue arose, Russia could not help but support the people.
Meanwhile, according to Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, peace and neighborly relations with Ukraine are impossible in principle as long as the Kiev government adheres to its Russophobic policy.
“We want to underline that we are holding this meeting not to discuss Ukraine’s internal problems. The off-scale Russophobia campaign in the country started by Zelensky poses a direct threat to international peace and security,” Nebenzya said.
“In such circumstances, no peace and good neighborly relations with Ukraine are possible,” Nebenzya told a UN Security Council session hosted on Russia’s initiative.
“We do and want our Ukrainian counterparts to observe only basic rights and freedoms, which our Western counterparts monitor very closely at home. But somehow, when it comes to Ukraine they set a different standard,” the Russian envoy continued.
(esn)
