Putin doesn't see Kyiv's desire to settle situation in southeast politically
SOCHI. Oct 24 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin says he does not really see a desire from Kyiv to settle the crisis in the southeastern part of Ukraine by political means.
"We favor the absolute implementation of the Minsk agreements by both parties," Putin said at a meeting with the participants in the Valdai International Discussion Club on Friday.
"But how do I see the key problem? We don't see the desire in our partners in Kyiv, primarily the authorities, to resolve the problem of relations with southeastern Ukraine using a peaceful political process and negotiations," Putin said.
"We always see the same, in different manifestations: to crush it by force," he said.
"Everything started with Maidan. They first decided to crush [former Ukrainian President Viktor] Yanukovych by force and succeeded in this, and this brought the foam of nationalism to the surface, which transformed into some nationalistic battalions. Then, when the people in southeastern Ukraine didn't like this and started electing their own governance and administration bodies, they started arresting them and taking them to prisons on Kyiv, and when the people took up for arms, instead of finally stopping and starting a peaceful dialogue, they sent troops, tanks, and planes there," he said.
