Putin Defends Ukraine Offensive at SCO Summit, Blames West for Ongoing Conflict
Russian President Vladimir Putin sought to justify his ongoing offensive in Ukraine during a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Tianjin, China, on Monday. He attributed the three-and-a-half-year conflict, which has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and widespread devastation in eastern Ukraine, to Western interference, reports 24brussels.
Putin claimed, “This crisis was not triggered by Russia’s attack on Ukraine, but was a result of a coup in Ukraine, which was supported and provoked by the West.” This statement alludes to the pro-European revolution in Ukraine from 2013 to 2014 that ousted a pro-Russian president, leading to Russia’s annexation of Crimea and support for pro-Russian separatists, which subsequently sparked a civil war.
Highlighting another aspect of the situation, Putin remarked, “The second reason for the crisis is the West’s constant attempts to drag Ukraine into NATO.”
The SCO summit featured key allies of Russia, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Both Moscow and Beijing have positioned the SCO as a counterbalance to Western-dominated political and security alliances, such as NATO.
Pursuing a vision for a restructured global order, Putin stated that the world required a “system that would replace outdated Eurocentric and Euro-Atlantic models, and take into account the interests of the widest circle of countries.”
Furthermore, he expressed appreciation for the diplomatic efforts of China, India, and other strategic allies aimed at resolving the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. Despite US President Donald Trump’s calls for both Russia and Ukraine to negotiate a peace settlement, proposals for resolution have faltered.
Putin has rejected any calls for a ceasefire, instead insisting on stringent territorial and political concessions from Ukraine, including ceding more land and rejecting Western support as preconditions for any peace talks. Ukrainian officials have deemed these demands unacceptable.
The Russian president also indicated plans to address diplomatic efforts concerning the conflict and his recent discussions with Trump during a series of bilateral meetings at the summit.
