Putin: Russia cannot implement the Minsk agreements unilaterally
Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, again accused Western countries of supporting the coup in Ukraine.
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“After all, they openly said that they spent $5 billion to support the opposition in Ukraine and supported the coup. What is it? Support for an armed takeover of power. And when we did not agree with this, sanctions were imposed against us. We will never agree with this.
When we supported the Russian people in Crimea, who were intimidated by the rise of racist sentiments and radical views, and even specific actions (people were killed in Kyiv), these sanctions immediately came.
In Yemen, the United States supports those countries that are fighting against those who overthrew the government. Did we really need to conduct military operations throughout Ukraine? Let’s agree on a uniform understanding of the principles of international law and adhere to them,” Putin said.
He also touched on the implementation of the Minsk agreements.
“We constantly hear that Russia must fulfill the Minsk agreements. Russia cannot implement the Minsk agreements unilaterally. We are ready to facilitate this, but we cannot do what the Kyiv authorities should. They are doing everything to ensure that nothing changes for the better. The West pointedly does not pay attention to this. We agreed that we need to work on the economic rehabilitation of these republics. Instead, the radicals blocked them. Poroshenko tried to release the blockade, started a fight and fired into the air. When I realized that I couldn’t do anything, I officially introduced a blockade, violating the Minsk agreements,” Putin said.
He accused the West of not paying attention to the violation of basic rights and freedoms in Ukraine.
“Or now the Russian media and social networks have been closed and our artist is not allowed in. Where is the free exchange of information? The West is silent. All demands are addressed only to Moscow. We will never solve any problem this way. If you started this mess, do at least something,” Putin said.
Putin: Russia cannot implement the Minsk agreements unilaterally.