Russian President Vladimir Putin has blamed the policies of Western countries for the start of the large-scale war against Ukraine. He stated this in a new documentary film titled "Russia. Kremlin. Putin. 25 Years".
According to Putin, Western countries do not want Russia to exist as an independent and sovereign state. "The West is trying to divide Russia into several parts and bring it under its influence," he emphasized.
In this regard, the Russian president recalled his famous speech at the Munich conference in 2007. At that time, Putin was trying to convey Russia's position to Western partners: "Russia will either be independent and sovereign, or it will not exist at all. The West had to understand this. Unfortunately, their position did not change. This is why the tragic events related to Ukraine have occurred today," said Putin.
Putin's contradictory statements: How credible is the reason for the war?
Since the war against Ukraine began, many contradictory statements have been made by the Kremlin. Russia's aggression, which started with the annexation of Crimea in 2014, was initially justified with the excuse of "protecting the rights of Russian-speaking populations." Later, arguments were put forward that if Ukraine joined NATO, it would pose a serious threat to Russia's security.
In February 2022, before Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin promoted the concepts of "denazification" and "demilitarization" as the main goals of this war. However, there was no Nazi or fascist regime, nor authoritarian rule in Ukraine, and the country had been operating in accordance with democratic principles.
At the same time, Putin has repeatedly questioned the existence of Ukraine as an independent state. In his view, Ukraine is an "artificial state" formed from Russian lands. This is a dangerous and contradictory opinion that completely contradicts international legal norms.
What does Putin mean in his statements?
Experts believe that Putin is trying to strengthen his domestic political influence by portraying the policies of Western countries as enemies to the Russian public. He also aims to mobilize public support against international sanctions and pressures on Russia.
However, Putin's statements have been sharply criticized by the international community. The US and European Union countries, as well as the UN and other international organizations, have openly labeled Russia's invasion of Ukraine as aggression and have called on Moscow to be held accountable under international law.
Today, the Russia-Ukraine war continues, resulting in thousands of deaths and millions of people being forced to leave their homes. In such a situation, Putin's statements could seriously hinder the international community's efforts to establish peace.
Thus, Putin's contradictory statements leave many questions about the real reasons and intentions behind them. History itself will provide answers to these questions.
