Key Takeaways:
- Russian President Vladimir Putin slammed the United States for the crisis in Ukraine
- According to the Kremlin, Washington was behind the 2014 revolution in Ukraine
- Russia annexed Crimea after its loyalist, Viktor Yanukovych was ousted from power in Kyiv
YEREVAN (CoinChapter.com) — Relations between Russia and the United States are in a “deep crisis”, according to Vladimir Putin.
The Russian president was addressing the newly-appointed ambassadors from various countries in a special ceremony organized at the Kremlin. Lynne Tracy, Washington’s new envoy to Moscow, was also present.
the Russian president said.“Relations between Russia and the United States, which directly affect global security and stability, are in a deep crisis,”
According to Putin, this crisis was rooted in “fundamentally different approaches to the formation of the modern world order.”
Shifting the blame on the United States for his unilateral invasion of Ukraine, Putin claimed that the US Government’s foreign policy was responsible for the ongoing war.
Putin said.“I know you may not agree with my opinion, but I must say today, that the use by United States, of such tools as support for the so-called color revolutions, support of the coup, in Kyiv in 2014, ultimately led to the current Ukraine crisis,”
While the message was part of the general address to everyone present, Putin singled out Ambassador Tracy, who was visibly uncomfortable at the remark.
However, Putin did not limit his criticism to the United States. Hitting out at the European Union, he said that it was focused on “initiating a geopolitical confrontation with Russia” instead of working towards European integration.
Meanwhile, the Russian President made clear that he is ready to build good relations with both the EU and the US. However, according to him, those should be based on mutual respect and on the principle of equality.
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What was Vladimir Putin referring to?
The Russian president was referring to the February 2014 ‘Revolution of Dignity’, also known as ‘Maidan Protests’, when the Ukrainians ousted the Moscow-backed President Viktor Yanukovych.
For years, Kyiv had negotiated with the European Union (EU) to sign a political association and free trade agreement with it. The country’s parliament had overwhelmingly approved signing the agreement with the EU.
However, in November 2013, succumbing to Kremlin’s pressure, he suddenly abandoned the plan. Instead, Yanukovych opted to keep the country under Moscow’s influence.
Angry at the move, thousands of citizens took to the street. Yanukovych ordered his police to fire at the protestors. At least 120 people died during the protests.
The revolution was successful. Yanukovych fled while the Parliament voted to remove him from the post of President. In a last-ditch effort to come back to power, Yanukovych asked Russia to help.
Moscow considered his ouster a Western-backed coup and blamed the United States and the European Union for it. Its resolute involvement led to the invasion of Ukraine and the occupation of Crimea.
The Biden Administration has been the strongest supporter of Kyiv in the ongoing war. Earlier this week, the US Department of Defense announced an additional $2.6 billion in military aid to Ukraine.
