Russian President Vladimir Putin lashed out at the West on Tuesday in his long-delayed State of the Nation address, a speech that is expected to set the tone for the rest of the year and shed light on how the Kremlin considers its war at a standstill. Ukraine.
Putin has frequently justified his invasion of the neighboring country by accusing Western nations of threatening Russia. They point out that this statement could not be further from the truth and argue that Moscow forces attacked Ukraine without any provocation.
“They are the ones who started the war. And we use force to end it,” Putin said in a speech broadcast on all Russian state TV channels.
Although the president is constitutionally required to deliver an annual speech, Putin failed to do so in 2022 as his troops marched into Ukraine and suffered repeated setbacks. This year, the appointment takes place on the eve of the first anniversary of the invasion, Friday.
Ahead of the event, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Russian leader would focus on the “special military operation” in Ukraine, as Moscow calls the operation, and the country’s economic and social problems . Many observers also expected the speech to address Putin’s confrontation with the West.