he commencement of developments in Ukraine traces back to the coup d’etat and the onset of hostilities in Donbas, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin. In an anticipated interview with commentator Tucker Carlson, Putin delved into the motivations behind the invasion of Ukraine two years ago, highlighting decisions by the United States and its partners that, he claimed, provoked the war.
Putin argued that the U.S. breached its commitment to refrain from expanding NATO eastward after the Soviet Union’s collapse. He detailed the 2008 NATO summit’s critical point, where the alliance expressed intentions to include Ukraine and Georgia, potentially leading to conflict with Russia. Putin also asserted that the 2014 coup d’etat in Ukraine, orchestrated by the CIA, aimed to use the nation as a launchpad for aggression against Russia. The subsequent war in Donbas and the threat to Crimea compelled Russia to intervene, he explained.
Addressing attempts at a peace agreement in 2014, Putin claimed that, despite agreed-upon terms, European officials insisted on him creating conditions for document signing. Accusations of Ukrainian negotiators abandoning agreements and preparing for armed confrontation with U.S. support ensued.
Putin highlighted the real presence of Nazi ideology in Ukraine, emphasizing its historical impact on Russian memory. Responding to claims of Russian aggression and expansion, he dismissed them as attempts to intimidate populations, asserting that Russia has no such plans.
Political science scholar Dr. John Mearsheimer supported Putin’s perspective, noting the absence of evidence for considering Russia aggressive before the 2014 crisis. Putin criticized the U.S. for using the dollar as a tool in foreign policy, deeming it a strategic mistake that weakened American power.
Despite facing sanctions, Putin claimed Russia was the first economy in Europe and the fifth largest in the world last year. He criticized Western policies toward Russia since the Soviet Union’s fall and accused Ukrainian President Zelensky of deceiving voters with a hardline stance against Russia.
Putin concluded by emphasizing the unity of the Russian people and critiquing attempts to dismantle the Ukrainian Orthodox Church as an endeavor to separate souls.