Ukraine serving interest of third countries, says Vladimir Putin in address: Highlights
3 min read . Updated: 21 Feb 2023, 03:41 PM IST
Premium- Putin launched a scathing attack on Zelensky-led Ukrainian government and the western countries
Nearly one year after ordering the invasion of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday addressed the members of both houses of parliament and the military commanders and soldiers of Russia. Putin launched a scathing attack on the Zelensky-led Ukrainian government and the western countries.
This comes a day after US President made a surprise visit to Kyiv and met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He also announced a $500 million package of weapons which include artillery and other high-tech weapon systems.
Highlights of the address of Vladimir Putin
Putin called his address coming at a watershed moment for Russia and said that the most important historic events will change future for the country and its people.
"I am making this address at a time which we all know is a difficult, watershed moment for our country, a time of cardinal, irreversible changes around the world, the most important historical events that will shape the future of our country and our people, when each of us bears a colossal responsibility," the Russian President said.
He said that the country will take on the task very carefully, according to the steps. The region of Donbas kept fighting for themselves since 2014 and did not give up in the conditions of the blockade and undisguised hatred on the part of the Kyiv regime, Putin said.
“Step by step, carefully and consistently, we will resolve the tasks facing us. Since 2014, the (people of the) Donbas had been fighting, defending their right to live on their land and to speak their native language. They fought and did not give up in the conditions of the blockade and constant shelling, undisguised hatred on the part of the Kyiv regime," he said.
Putin said that Russia tried to solve the issues peacefully, but a completely different scenario was prepared behind its back.
"They believed and expected that Russia would come to their rescue. Meanwhile, we did our best to solve this problem by peaceful means. We patiently tried to negotiate a peaceful way out of this most difficult conflict, but a completely different scenario was being prepared behind our backs," he said.
He alleged that the regime in Kyiv has made its people hostage and is working according to the directions of their western overloads. Putin said that Ukraine is serving the interests of third countries.
"I have already said many times that the people of Ukraine have become the hostage of the Kyiv regime and its Western overlords, who have effectively occupied this country in the political, military, and economic sense... Today's Ukrainian regime essentially serves not the national interests but those of third countries," he said.
The Russian President talked about the socioeconomic recovery and development of the new subjects of the Federation.
“We have already begun and will continue to build up a large-scale program for the socio-economic recovery and development of these new subjects of the Federation (territory annexed from Ukraine). We are talking about reviving enterprises and jobs in the ports of the Sea of Azov, which has again become an inland sea of Russia, and building new modern roads, as we did in Crimea," Putin said.
With inputs from Reuters