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President Vladimir Putin has promised not to allow the West to use Ukraine to weaken Russia. Photo/REUTERS
“The West is using the Ukrainian people to divide Russia and weaken it; we will never let that happen,” Putin said in his New Year 2023 address to his people on Saturday (12/31/2022), as quoted Sputnik.
He argued that morality and historical truth were on Russia’s side.
Read also: The former US general caught America letting Russia lose Ukraine at will
Putin’s allegations came after he revealed last week that Russia was open to talks with all sides about a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine. However, he said, it was Kiev and its Western allies that refused to negotiate.
“Our policy of opposition to geopolitics, which aims to divide Russia, is at the root of the Ukrainian conflict,” Putin said.
Russia rejects using a war narrative for its actions in Ukraine in favor of a “special military operations” narrative. Putin stressed that Russia is doing the right thing in Ukraine.
“I think we are acting in the right direction: we are protecting our national interests, the interests of our citizens, our people. And we have no choice but to protect our citizens,” she said.
On the same day, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu delivered a New Year 2023 message to the Moscow military. In his message, he emphasized that Russia’s military victory over Ukraine was inevitable.
Read also: Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu: Russia’s victory over Ukraine is inevitable
