Moscow. February 22. INTERFAX - The situation in Ukraine will be considered settled after the recognition of the results of the referendum on Crimea, after which the region was annexed to Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
"In my opinion, it has not sounded publicly, but I will say it. The question sounds like this - what should happen on both sides or on the part of Kiev, so that, in our opinion, the situation is considered settled in the long-term historical perspective and so that we can live in peace, and that we are not talking about any conflicts, especially armed ones. I will reveal this terrible secret to you - after all, there is nothing secret here. The first thing that everyone needs to do is to recognize the will of the people who live in Sevastopol and Crimea," Putin told reporters on Tuesday.
According to Putin, the Russian Federation discussed "these issues during many hours of negotiations and meetings with our European partners." "And we have also talked about this more than once with the Americans," the president noted.
"In what way - I have said this many times and I want to emphasize once again - is this expression of will worse than what happened in Kosovo? Yes, nothing! It's just that the decision was made by the parliament there, and here at a national referendum. And I want to emphasize once again: no one could drive people to the polling stations at gunpoint or under bayonets. They came voluntarily and made their decision to reunite with Russia," Putin stressed.
"And we need to respect this decision. If those who somehow somehow dispute, still consider themselves democratic countries, they must eventually admit it. This is the highest form of democracy - a referendum," concluded the President of the Russian Federation.
