Putin: West Uses Ukrainian People to Divide Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated that he will not allow the West to use Ukrainian people in order to weaken Moscow.

“The West is using the people of Ukraine to split Russia and weaken it; we will never let it happen,” Putin said during his New Year address to the nation on Saturday.

He also stressed that “moral, historical rightness” is on Russia’s side.

The remarks come after Putin affirmed last week that Russia is open to a dialogue with all the parties on the peaceful settlement of the conflict in Ukraine. However, they have so far refused to negotiate.

"The policies of our geopolitical opponents, aimed at splitting up Russia, are at the roots of the Ukrainian conflict,” Putin said.

Referring to the Russian military operation in Ukraine, Putin asserted that his country is doing the right thing there.

“I think we are acting in the right direction: we are protecting our national interests, the interests of our citizens, our people. And we just have no choice but to protect our citizens,” he said.

Earlier this month, the president mentioned: “The only real guarantor of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in its current borders could be Russia.”