Putin rejects Ukraine war option, backs Minsk pact
Russian President Vladimir Putin has described a potential war with neighboring Ukraine as “unlikely” pointing to the Minsk truce deal as the best way to normalize eastern Ukraine.
Putin’s remarks were made in a Monday interview with Moscow’s Rossiya 1 TV channel, during which the president was asked if there was a genuine threat of war with Ukraine considering its persisting conflict.
"I think that such an apocalyptic scenario is unlikely and I hope this will never happen," said Putin, reiterating that the implementation of the Minsk agreement would "gradually stabilize" the situation in eastern Ukraine.
He also underlined that Europeans do not desire a war in Ukraine either, adding, "Europe is just as interested in that as Russia. No-one wants conflict on the edge of Europe, especially armed conflict."
Speaking on Crimea, the Russian president called on the international community to respect the region’s referendum-based choice to rejoin Russia.
“With regard to nationality, the residents of Crimea have made their choice and it should be respected. Russia cannot treat it otherwise,” Putin said.
Reacting to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko’s statement that Kiev intends to regain Crimea, Putin emphasized that such moves have a “revenge nature.”
He then added that as a large European nation, Ukraine should focus on “strengthening the economy and social sector, and mend relations with the southeastern part of the country.”
Donetsk and Lugansk are two mainly Russian-speaking regions in eastern Ukraine that have witnessed deadly clashes between pro-Russia forces and the Ukrainian army since Kiev launched military operations in April last year to crush protests there.
In May 2014, the situation in the two flashpoint regions started to worsen as residents overwhelmingly voted for independence from Ukraine in referendums.
Nearly 5,700 people have been killed and close to a million have been displaced since the armed conflict began in eastern Ukraine in April 2014.
Ukraine’s warring sides reached a ceasefire deal, dubbed Minsk II, at a summit attended by the leaders of Russia, France, and Germany on February 11 and 12.
MFB/NT/AS
UK halts plan to use frozen Russian assets for Ukraine aid amid legal fears
Ukraine says strikes Russian ‘shadow fleet’ in Mediterranean
Lavrov urges IAEA chief to adhere to neutrality, objectivity towards Iran
Iran’s top general warns of false-flag Israeli attacks on Jews to fuel anti-Semitism
UK doctor arrested under pressure from Israel lobby over ‘anti-genocide posts’
VIDEO | Art and civic imagination
Algeria moves to criminalize French colonial rule amid strained ties
Iran's cyber prowess: A strategic pillar of national defense and asymmetric power
Iran’s four-decade transport transformation
Jeffrey Epstein introduced Trump to 14-year-old girl, court documents reveal
Lebanese government offering free concessions to Israel: Lawmaker
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
