The aggressive actions carried out by the West against Russia for many years provoked the conflict in Ukraine and forced Moscow to launch what it defines as a "special military operation", President Vladimir Putin said yesterday at a meeting with naval personnel, TASS reported, BTA reported.
He recalled the West's promise not to expand NATO infrastructure to the east - a promise that was never fulfilled.
„They moved, they moved, they reached Ukraine. And the then president of Ukraine was for joining the EU, but against joining NATO. What did they do? They carried out a coup d'état. And a bloody, unconstitutional one. And the entire West pretended that nothing terrible had happened It happened, it had to happen. And it was these actions, absolutely aggressive, intensifying from year to year, that led to today's conflict in Ukraine. And forced us to start a special military operation, trying to stop the hostilities already started by the West and the Kiev regime in this part of what was then Ukraine“, he said.
“They promised us at the time — to Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev — that they would not expand NATO. The result — one expansion after another. Despite our numerous protests. They spat on all their promises and the interests of the Russian Federation in the field of security“, Putin added.
The Western countries made a number of decisions without regard to international law and “let the genie out of the bottle“, Putin said at the same meeting.
Putin reminded that the modern world order was formed after World War II on the basis of the Charter of The UN, created by the victorious countries.
“This charter is the basis of modern international law. Certain rules were created“, he noted. “And then, when the Soviet Union was destroyed — one of the founding states of the UN and the creators of this system of international relations — it ceased to exist. And the so-called winners of the Cold War — not only the United States, but the entire collective West — suddenly decided that something needed to be fixed: why should Russia, no longer the USSR, but Russia, which had lost significant potential, enjoy the same benefits as the victorious country in World War II.“
After that, Putin continued, the Western countries “began to change the rules, and immediately in practice“. “Remember the events in Yugoslavia“, he noted.
Russia is open to cooperation in the Arctic, but will defend its interests, including the Northern Sea Route, the Russian head of state also warned.
“We are ready, we are open to cooperation in this area, but we will unconditionally defend our interests, as well as the Northern Sea Route. Because the most effective, economically expedient Northern Sea Route passes to a significant extent either through our territorial waters or through the special economic zone of the Russian Federation. That is, it is practically completely under our control“, Putin said.
He noted that in order to use the logistical capabilities of the Northern Sea Route, it is necessary to develop ports and coastal logistics. “For this, the work of the relevant services for rescuing ships and crews in disasters must be ensured. Safety must also be ensured, including, first of all, with the help of the Navy. We are working and will continue to work in all these areas“, he added.