It used to be a seminal, hourlong speech that threatened to transparent the best way for struggle. On Monday evening President Vladimir V. Putin stated he would acknowledge the independence of 2 Russian-backed territories in jap Ukraine, surroundings the degree for the potential of Russian army motion in opposition to Ukraine.
Listed below are excerpts from his deal with, which he stated used to be additionally directed to his “compatriots” in Ukraine.
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“Why used to be it essential to make an enemy out folks?” Mr. Putin requested, repeating his long-held grievances about NATO’s eastward growth. “They didn’t need this sort of huge, impartial nation as Russia. On this lies the solution to all questions.”
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“We obviously remember the fact that in this sort of state of affairs, the level of army danger to Russia will upward push cardinally, through a couple of occasions,” Mr. Putin stated of the potential for Ukraine becoming a member of NATO. “If our ancestors heard about this, they might most certainly no longer imagine it. And we don’t wish to imagine it. However that’s how it’s.”
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“Let me emphasize as soon as once more that Ukraine for us is not only a neighboring nation. It’s an integral a part of our personal historical past, tradition, non secular area,” Mr. Putin stated, regarding Ukraine’s significance to Russia. “Those are our comrades, family members, amongst whom don’t seem to be best colleagues, pals, former colleagues, but additionally family members, other folks attached with us through blood, circle of relatives ties.”
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“We’re being blackmailed, they’re threatening us with sanctions. However I believe they’ll impose the ones sanctions,” he stated regarding conceivable repercussions of Russian motion. “A brand new pretext will at all times be discovered or fabricated. Regardless of the placement in Ukraine,” he added. “The aim is unmarried: to stay Russia at the back of, to forestall it from creating. And they’ll do it prior to even with none formal pretext. Simply because we exist. We will be able to by no means surrender our sovereignty, nationwide passion, and our values.”
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“The so-called civilized global, the representatives of the self-proclaimed western colleagues, they act as though they don’t realize anything else. As though not anything is occurring, as though this nightmare didn’t exist.”
