Putin Blames West for Ukraine War in State of the Nation Speech
Summary from AllSides News Team
Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a state of the nation address on Monday, accusing the West of driving the war in Ukraine and suspending a key nuclear arms treaty.
Key Quotes: "The people of Ukraine have become the hostage of the Kyiv regime and its Western overlords, who have effectively occupied this country in the political, military and economic sense," Putin said. He also said he was "forced to announce today that Russia is suspending its participation in the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty."
For Context: Putin's speech came hours after President Joe Biden visited Kyiv, and days before the 1-year anniversary of his invasion of Ukraine. The arms treaty he suspended was a long-standing agreement to reduce the number of nuclear weapons in the U.S. and Russia. The two countries are by far the biggest nuclear powers, and hold a combined 90% of the world's nuclear warheads. The treaty "limited both sides to 1,550 warheads on deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine ballistic missiles and heavy bombers," according to Reuters.
How the Media Covered It: Putin's speech was a top story across the political spectrum Tuesday, especially from left- and center-rated sources, some of which said he "falsely claimed" the West had started the war.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Western countries Tuesday of igniting and sustaining the war in Ukraine, refusing any blame for Moscow almost a year after the Kremlin’s invasion of its neighbor that has killed tens of thousands of people.
In his long-delayed state-of-the-nation address, Putin cast his country — and Ukraine — as victims of Western double-dealing and said it was Russia, not Ukraine, fighting for its very existence.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin took aim at the United States during his annual state of the nation address to the Russian people and Federal Assembly on Tuesday, repeatedly claiming of the West, "They started the war."
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