Putin voices concern over Western weapons deliveries, particularly criticizing Germany.
Looking at Germany, Putin expressed that the presence of "German tanks on Ukrainian soil" due to the legacy of World War II has already caused a "moral and ethical shock in Russia." If German leaders were to say that "there will be more rockets hitting targets on Russian territory," this would definitely destroy German-Russian relations, he added.
In response to a Russian offensive in the northeastern region of Kharkiv, some Western countries have recently allowed Ukraine to use weapons provided by them against targets in the Russian border area. Putin had already warned at the end of May that if the West gave the go-ahead for the use of their weapons against Russian targets, they would face serious consequences.
Putin reaffirmed on Wednesday that "Russia did not start the war in Ukraine." Instead, he blamed the pro-Western revolution in Ukraine in 2014, which led to the Russian annexation of Crimea and fighting between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists in the eastern part of the country. "EVERYONE THINKS that Russia started the war in Ukraine," Putin remarked. "However, I'd like to emphasize that no one in the West, in Europe, wants to remember how this tragedy began."
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- Despite Putin's criticisms of Germany's arms deliveries to Ukraine, some Western countries have still permitted Ukraine to use weapons they provided against Russian targets near the border.
- The Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, has previously warned that if the West authorized the use of their weapons against Russian targets, they would face severe consequences.
- Putin, in response to Western countries allowing Ukraine to use their weapons, reiterated that Russia did not initiate the conflict in Ukraine, but rather, it was the pro-Western revolution in 2014 that led to the Russian annexation of Crimea and the subsequent fighting between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists.
- The presence of German tanks in Ukraine, as mentioned by Putin, has already caused a significant moral and ethical shock in Russia due to the historical context of World War II.
- Putin's concerns over Western arms deliveries to Ukraine have been sparked by the possibility of more aggressive actions, such as rockets hitting targets on Russian territory, which, according to Putin, would damage Russian-German relations greatly.
