Zelensky fell under the influence of radical elements instead of thinking about the world
Moscow. December 23. INTERFAX - Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia wants to build good-neighborly relations with Ukraine at any cost, but Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has fallen under the influence of radical elements.
"Instead of responding to people's request for peace, using these sentiments in Ukrainian society, President Zelensky came to power and, instead of fulfilling them, fell, like previous leaders, under the influence of radical elements, as they say in Ukraine, "Nazis," Putin said on Thursday at an annual press conference.
"What is the problem for us? We want to build good-neighborly relations with Ukraine, and, as they say, "at any cost." We go for almost everything. But how can we build relations with the current leadership (of Ukraine), taking into account what they are doing? Almost impossible. But we are ready to work with those forces that would like to build relations with Russia in such a neighborly way," Putin said.
However, Putin said, with those forces that would like to build normal relations with Russia, "there are judicial reprisals, sanctions against their citizens, which contradicts the laws and Constitution of Ukraine, or just murders on the street, no one is looking for murderers."
Referring to the situation in the south-east of Ukraine and the ongoing shelling there, Putin said: "After all, we reached an agreement some time ago that only higher-level leaders, up to the relevant ministries, can give the order to return fire in case of fire from one side. Accordingly, in one case it is Donetsk and Lugansk, in the other case - in Kiev."
Putin explained that these decisions were taken in order to stop the shelling on the demarcation line altogether. At the same time, the Kiev authorities, Putin stressed, took this decision and canceled it, transferring the right to make decisions to the level of field commanders.
"Ask them (the Kiev authorities) why they did it?", - said the President of the Russian Federation.
