Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday (18) that the United States is deepening the conflict in Ukraine and making a mistake by supplying long-range ATACMS missiles to Kiev.
Putin told a news conference during a visit to China that he had informed Chinese President Xi Jinping about the situation in Ukraine “in some detail.” He said “external factors” and “common threats” only served to strengthen cooperation between Russia and China.
The Kremlin leader stated that Washington’s decision to supply the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), whose use was confirmed by Kiev on Tuesday, “only prolongs the agony” of Ukraine.
“Firstly, it is clear that this causes harm and creates an additional threat. Secondly, we will of course be able to repel these attacks. War is war,” Putin said.
“But the most important thing is that, fundamentally, it does not have the ability to change the situation at the front… This is another mistake by the United States.”
Ukraine had repeatedly asked Washington for ATACMS missiles to help it attack and disrupt supply lines, air bases and rail networks in Russian-occupied territory.
“A larger-scale error, still invisible, but of great importance, is that the United States is becoming increasingly personally involved in this conflict. And let no one say that they had nothing to do with it. We believe so,” Putin said.
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He noted that the US had sent two groups of aircraft carriers to the Mediterranean Sea in response to escalating violence between Israel and Palestinians, and said it had ordered Russian planes with Kinzhal hypersonic missiles to patrol the Black Sea.
Putin said it would be good if the West was starting to talk about the need to resolve the crisis in Ukraine through peaceful means, although he did not cite examples.
Russia has long said it is willing to negotiate, but only if Kiev accepts the “new realities,” namely Moscow’s occupation of more than a sixth of Ukraine.
Kiev insists on the total withdrawal of Russian forces, including from the Crimean peninsula, which Moscow annexed in 2014.
Source: CNN Brasil
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