Russian President Vladimir Putin stated during a meeting with the sailors of the "Arkhangelsk" nuclear submarine that Western countries deceived Russia and used the Minsk agreements to arm Kyiv.
According to TASS agency, Putin emphasized that former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and former French President François Hollande participated in this trick.
The Minsk Agreements and the West's Position
The Minsk agreements were signed with the aim of peacefully resolving the conflict in Ukraine. However, according to Putin, Western leaders used these agreements to arm Kyiv and prepare for military actions against Russia.
“They openly admitted it themselves,” said the Russian president. He noted that the Minsk agreements were not used to establish peace as their main goal, but rather to strengthen Ukraine's armed forces and exert pressure on Russia.
Relations between Moscow and the West
These statements could further escalate tensions between Russia and the West. Putin has previously accused Western countries of hypocrisy and criticized their policy of assisting Ukraine.
The Minsk agreements were signed in 2015 with the participation of Ukraine, Russia, Germany, and France. Although they were aimed at resolving the conflict in Donbass, they have not been implemented in practice. Western officials have intensified sanctions against Moscow, blaming Russia for continuing its actions against Ukraine.
Putin's statement could further increase the tension in Russia-West relations.
