“Not Russia’s aggression, but Western provocation caused the Ukraine war” — Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin has once again blamed Western countries for the war in Ukraine. According to him, Moscow’s military actions are actually a response to long-standing Western provocations.

Speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit on Monday in Tianjin, China, Putin said NATO’s activities have destabilized the entire region. He emphasized, “This crisis did not start because of Russia’s aggression, but rather as a result of the Western-backed Kyiv uprising.”

After the 2013–14 pro-European movement led to the ousting of then-President Viktor Yanukovych, Russia annexed Crimea and supported separatists in eastern Ukraine. Violence spread across Ukraine, resulting in thousands of deaths. The situation escalated further after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, leading to stringent sanctions from the United States and the European Union, further isolating Moscow.

Putin said that the West’s attempt to include Ukraine in NATO was one of the main causes of the war. He added that to establish lasting peace, the root causes of the Ukraine crisis must be addressed.

He mentioned that his recent meeting with former U.S. President Donald Trump “could open a new door to the path of peace.” At the same time, he praised the diplomatic efforts of Beijing and New Delhi.

During the summit, Putin met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, stating that discussions between the two countries on the Ukraine issue would be further expanded. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also attended the summit.