According to Putin, Lenin was the “writer and architect” of modern Ukraine. According to the President, the Ukrainians have tried to deny the things that unite them with Russia.
Russian president Vladimir Putin gave a long and meandering speech on Monday acknowledging the independence of the “people’s republics” of Donetsk and Luhansk, which were ruled by pro-Russian separatists.
The speech was addressed to Russians and Russian “compatriots” in Ukraine. The New York Times (NYT) characterizes the history of the speech as misleading “even by the standards of a former KGB agent”. There are also references to 1917 that are interesting for Finland.
NOW and, among others, the news agency Reuters have compiled excerpts from the speech in English. The entire speech in Russian has been published by, among others, a Russian news agency Ria Novosti.
HS listed key points from the president’s one-hour speech.
The position of Donetsk and Luhansk
Compassion Donetsk and Luhansk had an important theme in Putin’s speech. He tried to make the recognition of separatist areas sound the only right solution.
“Those who embarked on the path of violence, bloodshed and lawlessness did not recognize or acknowledge any alternative to the Donbass question other than the military.”
Donbass refers to the region, which includes both the separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.
“In this sense, I consider it necessary to take the long-awaited decision to immediately recognize the independence and sovereignty of the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics.”
Recognition of the regions will lead to the crumbling of the 2014 ceasefire agreement in Minsk. The aim of the agreement was to stop the fighting in eastern Ukraine.
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“It can still be said of Lenin’s Ukraine today.”
Ukraine’s slippage from Russia’s front
Modern Ukraine according to Putin, the development began with the 1917 revolution. Particular attention has also been paid to this point in Finland, because in the same year Finland became independent from the Russian Empire.
Putin sounded the speech of the Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin that this acted “grossly” in tearing Russia apart from its “historic territory”. Finland was not mentioned in the speech, but according to Putin, the revolution served as a stimulus for Ukraine’s current development.
“As a result of Bolshevik policy, Soviet Ukraine arose, which can still be called Vladimir Illich Lenin’s Ukraine today. He was its author and architect. ”
Read more: Kneeling, Putin described Eastern Ukraine as an “ancient Russian country”
Putin also stressed that Ukraine is not only a neighboring country, but part of Russia’s “history, culture and spiritual state.”
According to Putin, Ukraine never had a genuine tradition of an independent state. In the president’s view, the gap with Russia arose when Ukraine did not play its part after independence from the Soviet Union.
“[Ukraina] it preferred to have all the rights and interests vis-à-vis Russia, but it did not bear any responsibility. ”
According to Putin, the Ukrainians built their state, denying everything that unites them with the Russians.
“They tried to distort consciousness, the historical memory of millions of people and entire generations in Ukraine.”
Read more: The West pushed the fraternal nations together and Russia gave a “gift to Kiev” – this is how the Russian media reported on the recognition of separatist territories
Ukraine’s NATO issue
Russian considers that the legitimacy of its actions is linked to the 2008 NATO meeting in Bucharest, which expressed Ukraine’s and Georgia’s aspirations to join the military alliance.
Putin was present at the meeting and opposed the countries’ membership. In his speech on Monday, the president said the United States forced its European allies into anti-Russian policies.
Putin sees that Ukraine has a chance to join NATO, despite hostilities in eastern Ukraine, if the country otherwise sits under NATO criteria and defeats corruption.
President Vladimir Putin giving his TV speech on Monday.
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“And who is the main enemy of the United States and NATO? We know that too. ”
“At the same time, they are trying again and again to believe us that NATO is a peace-loving and purely defense alliance – saying that there are no threats to Russia. Again, they assume we trust their word. But we know the true value of those words. ”
Putin said Ukraine’s possible NATO membership would multiply the military threat to Russia.
“And who is the main enemy of the United States and NATO? We know that too. That is Russia. In NATO documents, our country has been officially and directly declared a major threat to security in the North Atlantic. And Ukraine is a springboard for a blow. If our ancestors heard this, they probably wouldn’t believe it. ”
As a cause of hostility, Putin offered an explanation that the West did not want a “big, independent country like Russia”.
“Here’s the answer to all the questions.”
Western Russia sanctions
Presidential according to the West is again trying to “tighten” Russia with new sanctions. He thinks the West is imposing sanctions anyway for no reason “just because we exist”.
“Again, the excuse for a new forced attack is always found or is being fabricated, regardless of the situation in Ukraine. There is only one goal: to limit Russia’s development. “
Putin assured that Russia will not compromise on its values and national goals, even in the face of sanctions.
Russia’s familiar bitterness and disappointment towards the West shines from the speech. As the United States and NATO failed to meet Russia’s key demands, Russia sees its right to “retaliate to ensure its own security.”
“That’s exactly what we’re doing,” Putin shouted.
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