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Putin says West created Ukraine crisis
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RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin yesterday accused Western countries of creating the Ukrainian crisis and using it to revive NATO.
Speaking after the Western military bloc agreed to boost its presence in eastern Europe, Putin warned Brussels and Washington against “any hysterics” if Russia chooses to retaliate.
“The crisis in Ukraine, which was basically provoked and created by some of our Western partners, is now being used to revive this military bloc (NATO),” Putin said at a government meeting.
He complained to ministers and security chiefs of threats to Russia, citing NATO’s strengthening of its presence in eastern Europe as well as the US missile defence program.
“There are a lot of new threats appearing. As you know, not long ago, a decision was taken on building up NATO forces in eastern Europe,” Putin said during a discussion on defense spending.
Security guaranteed
Russia needs to make sure that its security is “absolutely, reliably guaranteed,” Putin said. “We will be forced — absolutely forced — to take appropriate measures in response.”
He insisted that Russia would only take action in response to Western moves and said he hoped that its strategy would not provoke “hysterics.”
“I want to stress that all that we are doing are only retaliatory measures,” Putin said.
“I would really like for there not to be any unnecessary fits of hysterics later, when these decisions are passed finally and start coming into effect,” he said.
He said Russia planned “rearmament of strategic and long-distance aviation and continuing to form a system of aerospace defence.”
Putin said Russia would only spend what it could afford however and a new arms race was “absolutely out of the question.”
“We won’t push our military spending up too high.”
Last Friday NATO agreed to set up a new rapid response force that could stand up to the expansionist threat from Putin.
Ukraine’s new leadership has infuriated Russia by shifting its orientation towards the West, like fellow ex-Soviet Georgia.
Kiev announced its intentions to relaunch negotiations to join the Western military alliance in August, effectively restarting a process which was suspended in 2010 by pro-Kremlin President Viktor Yanukovych.
NATO has left the door open to membership for Ukraine on condition that it meets certain criteria.
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