Russian president accuses US of ignoring his country’s security demands and of using Ukraine as a ‘tool’ to contain its development, writes Aljazeera.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused the United States and its allies of ignoring Moscow’s security concerns over Ukraine but says he hopes the two sides will be able to negotiate a solution to the intensifying standoff.
Speaking in Moscow on Tuesday, Putin said the Kremlin was studying a response from the US and NATO to demands Russia presented – including keeping Ukraine out of the Western security alliance – but said the replies had been far from adequate.
“It is already clear that fundamental Russian concerns ended up being ignored,” Putin said at a news conference with the visiting prime minister of Hungary.
Putin said that while the US says it is concerned about Ukraine’s security, it is using the ex-Soviet country as a “tool” in its efforts to contain Russia.
Still, he argued that it was possible to find an end to the crisis if the interests of all parties, including Russia’s security concerns, are taken into account.
“I hope that we will eventually find a solution, although we realise that it’s not going to be easy,” he said.
Source: Aljazeera
