Russian President Putin affirms: "Any land on which a Russian soldier is positioned, we claim as our own territory."
Article:
Forget about Ukraine, said Putin in his speech at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum... until the question and answer session. That's when the Russian president reiterated his claim over the entire nation. "In my opinion, all of Ukraine is ours," Putin boasted, earning him a standing ovation.
Kremlin insists on Ukraine's Neutrality and Rejection of NATO Membership
Putin's speech was light on Ukraine mentions, but when pressed on the issue, he justified his more than three-year-long attack on the neighboring country by pointing to NATO's eastward expansion. Moscow doesn't want Ukraine to join NATO, Putin stated, and considers Ukraine a neutral state.
"We insist on the recognition of the facts that have occurred on the ground," he said, a statement that typically refers to Russian troops controlling a significant chunk of Ukraine and pushing further.
Putin's Aggression: No Signs of Stopping
During the Q&A session, Putin also hinted at the possibility of conquering the regional capital, Sumy, despite insisting that there was no objective to take the city. "We don't have the goal of taking Sumy, but in principle, I don't rule it out," he said. Russian forces have been taking over more settlements in the Sumy region for months, creating a buffer zone.
Ukrainian Response
In response, Volodymyr Zelensky's speechwriter, Dmytro Lytwyn, shared on network X that for every Russians solider's foot, there's a Ukrainian drone. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrij Sybiha stated that wherever a Russian soldier sets foot, he brings death and destruction.
In brief, Putin's stance on Ukraine is clear: Ukraine must be neutralized, stripped of alliances, and recognize Russian territorial claims, with an implicit claim to the entire country as "ours." Despite ongoing conflict, Russia is committed to undermining Ukraine's sovereignty and has no plans to de-escalate until their demands are met.
Sources:
- ntv.de
- ses/dpa
Implications:
- Russia denies Ukrainian sovereignty and aims to fully integrate Ukraine into its sphere of control.
- Putin demands Ukraine to accept neutrality, reject foreign alliances, and agree to nuclear non-proliferation.
- Russian claims border on expansionist as Putin states, "wherever a Russian soldier sets foot, that is ours."
- Putin hints at the possibility of conquering the regional capital, Sumy, though denies intent.
- Russia's aggression in Ukraine shows no signs of de-escalating unless Ukraine meets Moscow's demands.
- The European Union has expressed concern over the ongoing war-and-conflicts in Ukraine, as the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, continues to assert his claim over the entire nation, stating that "all of Ukraine is ours."
- The political implications of this stance are pronounced, as Putin demands Ukraine to accept neutrality, reject foreign alliances, and agree to nuclear non-proliferation, with Russian troops controlling a significant chunk of Ukraine and pushing further, hinting at the possibility of expansionist policies.
