Putin requires Ukraine to recognize the results of "referendums" and give up a course in NATO
"It is necessary for Ukraine to recognize the results of referendums conducted in four known regions. It is necessary to recognize Ukraine's interest in maintaining long -term friendly relations with Russia," Putin said. He added that refusing to recognize these results will mean maintaining the risk of restoring hostilities in the future.
In addition, the Russian President called the neutral status of Ukraine and its refusal to enter international military alliances and nuclear weapons with the necessary conditions for "long -term stability". In addition, the Kremlin's head has accused "external players" of not seeking to put an end to the conflict, but use Ukraine to achieve their goals. "I hope that the current leaders of Ukraine will be guided by national interests, not the interests of third parties.
Ukraine deserves a better fate than being an instrument in the hands of external forces working against Russia," the Russian president said. Official Kyiv has repeatedly spoken about the occupied territories. In particular, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said at the end of April that Ukraine would not recognize any temporarily occupied territories legally. "Our position is unchanged: only the Ukrainian people have the right to decide which territories are Ukrainian.
The Constitution of Ukraine says that all temporarily occupied territories are temporarily occupied. They all belong to Ukraine, the Ukrainian people. Ukraine will not recognize any temporarily occupied territories legally," the President said. According to the Head of State, this position is fair not only in terms of the Ukrainian Constitution, but also in the context of international law.