THOMAS MACKINTOSH FROM BBC
President Vladimir Putin claims he still continues to see Ukraine as a brotherly nation.
Vladimir Putin believes Russia is not to blame for the war in Ukraine, adding both countries are “sharing a tragedy”.
During a televised address with senior military officials, the Russian president said he continued to see Ukraine as a “brotherly nation”.
In February, President Putin sent up to 200,000 troops into Ukraine sparking a war which has led to thousands of deaths.
He claimed the conflict was “the result of the policy of third countries”.
The theory, which implies Western expansion is the cause, has been repeatedly dismissed outside Russia.
During his address President Putin claimed the West had “brainwashed” post-Soviet republics, starting with Ukraine.
He said: “For years, we tried to build good-neighbourly relations with Ukraine, offering loans and cheap energy, but it did not work.”
President Putin’s longstanding concerns appear to stem from Nato’s growth since the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991.
Nato’s original goal was to challenge Russian expansion after World War Two, but the Kremlin has long argued Nato’s acceptance of former Soviet allies as members threatens its security.
