A day after US President Joe Biden's secret visit to Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday made a speech in the Parliament and attacked the West for its 'lies' and 'fraud'. He said that he was trying to do things peacefully but behind his back, 'a difficult scenario was being prepared'.
Here Are The Areas Putin Focused On In His Speech
Vladimir Putin Blames West For Ukraine War
According to BBC, Putin began his speech by saying he will be "speaking during a complicated and frontier time for our country during a time of drastic changes in our world."
He said, "historic events will determine the future of our country... each of us is bound by a huge responsibility." Putin repeats that Russia was facing a Nazi threat, along with "constant threats and hatred" from the Kyiv government. He claimed that Ukraine was waiting for Russia to come to their assistance, reported BBC.
He added that needless to say, Ukraine's government would dismiss all of this. Launching an attack on Western nations, Putin said that the West's commitment to peace turned out to be "fraud", and a "cruel lie".
According to BBC, Putin claimed Kyiv was trying to gather biological and nuclear weapons. H said, "We were doing everything possible to solve this problem peacefully, negotiating a peaceful way out of this difficult conflict, but behind our backs a very different scenario was being prepared."
Putin said, as quoted by AFP, "Step by step, we will carefully and systematically solve the aims that face us," hinting towards Moscow's further offensive action in Ukraine.
"They (the West) were just playing for time, closing their eyes to political assassinations, mistreatment of believers," he said.
"Ukraine and Donbas have become a symbol of total lies," Putin says, alleging that the West had withdrawn from "fundamental agreements" and giving "hypocritical statements" as well as expanding Nato and "covering us with an umbrella".
"I want to repeat: it is them who are culpable for the war, and we are using force to stop it," Putin said, as quoted by BBC.
Putin came heavily on the West and accused them of starting the war. He said, "It’s they who have started the war. And we are using force to end it."
Putin vowed to remain offensive in Ukraine referring to it as "historical Russian land."
Addressing lawmakers from both chambers of Russia's parliament and other high-level guests that included soldiers, Putin reiterated his earlier claims that Western countries had been allegedly "preparing a different scenario", according to The Moscow Times.
He said, "They (West) were dragging their feet...they were playing with people's lives."
Putin warned that "the more long-range Western systems are delivered into Ukraine, the further we'll have to push the threat from our borders", reported The Moscow Times.
Referring to the recently held Munich Security Conference, Putin said many accusations were thrown in the conference at Russia to deflect from Western actions. He added, "They (West) let the genie out of the bottle [and] plunged entire regions into chaos."
"Human sacrifice and tragedies are not accounted by them... They must carry on stealing from everyone, disguising themselves with slogans of democracy and freedom," Putin said.
Putin continued his attack on the West and gave historical references for the same. He accused the West of "opening the way" for Nazis to take power in the 1930s, and said that since the 19th century the West has tried to tear away Russia's "historical lands" - "what is now called Ukraine", as per the BBC.
He went on to say, "Everything repeats itself", adding that the West funded the 2014 revolution in Ukraine that overthrew a pro-Russian government. He said this "gave rise to Russophobia, extreme nationalism".
"The responsibility for fueling the Ukrainian conflict, for its escalation, for the number of victims... lies completely with Western elites," Putin said.
He also criticised the Russians who had fled the country since the start of the invasion, but said the authorities "won't resemble the Kyiv regime and engage in a witch hunt", reported The Moscow Times.
He echoed his claim that Western countries that sanctioned Russia over the war "haven't achieved anything anywhere and won't achieve it."
Putin Thanks Separatists Regions In Ukraine
Putin thanked the residents of the four Ukrainian territories which voted to join Russia in a controversial referendum last autumn. "There was nothing braver than your decision to be with Russia, with your motherland," he said.
He added, "For our ancestors and the future of our children and grandchildren... to restore the historical justice... for this our heroes are fighting."
The Russian President also asked the audience to stand in honour of those Russian soldiers who have died.
Calling the people of separatist Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk "brothers and sisters", Putin said that "we are now together again, that means we become even stronger".
He further said that he can't wait for the "long-awaited peace to return to our homeland".
Putin On LGBT Rights
Russian President also spoke on LGBT rights, a topic he commonly addresses in his speeches. Targeting the West again and accusing them of 'doubting sacred texts', Putin said, "Family means a union between a man and a woman," Putin says, adding that "so say the sacred texts of every religion on Earth."
"But the West is doubting these sacred texts... We have to protect our children from degradation and degeneration - and we will," he added, as quoted by BBC.
Impact Of War On Russia
Putin said that he wrote an extended list of military divisions he wanted to thank in this speech. He said, "I bow low to (soldiers') families and wives". He thanked teachers, builders and farmers, among others who have fought on the front line in the war.
Notably, there has been severe criticism among Russians about the Kremlin's conscription policies and treatment of soldiers, reported BBC.
He said, "Each family of a lost fighter, each veteran, must have a social care coordinator attached to him or her which must communicate with them personally and settle their issues." Putin vowed to create a special government foundation whose job will be to provide targeted aid to participants in the 'special military operation' and their families.
He said that it will coordinate social and medical support as well as employment and entrepreneurship and all issues will need to be settled in "real time".
Putin On Russian Economy, Western Sanctions
Russian President Putin claimed that the country's economy has proved to be more resilient than expected in the face of international sanctions and that the GDP hasn't fallen as much as had been predicted in a veiled attack on the West.
"They (West) predicted a collapse of the Russian economy but Russian business has rebuilt its logistics, its partnerships," he said.
Putin said he wanted to build a safe system of international payments that will reduce dependence on the West. "We must not repeat our mistakes. We must not destroy our economy," he added.
He said Western sanctions designed to make the Russian people "suffer" had not succeeded, and claimed the share of Russian Roubles in international transactions has "doubled".
Putin said that the West never stopped trying to set post-Soviet countries on fire through means of economic suppression, reported BBC.
Putin's Infrastructure Development Plans
Putin also laid out a map of infrastructural development in Russia. He spoke on plans about extending highways from Moscow to Kazan and with Mongolia and China, to increase Russia's connections with east Asia.
He said he wants to develop an international north, south corridor improving links with India, Iran and the Middle East. He added that modernising railways and improving northern shipping routes are also part of his plans.
All Eyes On Biden's Speech In Poland
As President Putin speaks in Moscow the stage is being prepared in the capital city of neighbouring Poland for US President Joe Biden’s speech.
The two speeches, on the same day, will be a dramatic event as the men lay out their respective visions for the Ukraine war.
BBC reported that White House officials say Biden will be listening to Vladimir Putin and may well modify his address accordingly.