by Larry Johnson
Vladimir Putin’s speech today (Friday) at the Russian Foreign Ministry is a clear warning to the West and signals that Russia is going to shift its military operation in Ukraine into a higher, more powerful gear. American and her NATO allies are fools if they dismiss or ignore Putin’s stark message today:
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Friday that the “selfishness and hypocrisy of Western countries” had led to a “dangerous turn of events” and the world was “close to the point of no return.”. . . .
“Calls to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia, which has the largest arsenal of nuclear weapons, demonstrate the extreme adventurism of Western politicians. They either do not understand the scale of the threat they themselves create, or they are simply obsessed with the belief in their own impunity and their own exclusivity. Both can turn into a tragedy.”
He stated that the West had committed “theft” of Russian assets, and threatened punishment as a result.
He said, “Despite all the chicanery, theft will certainly remain theft. And it will not go unpunished.”
Putin also claimed to officials that the “Western model” of global security is collapsing. He said that this “needs to be essentially created anew.” He said that he is open to talks with everyone, including NATO.
Putin went on to elaborate Russia’s conditions for a negotiated settlement in Ukraine:
Putin stated that Russia would be ready to enter talks as soon as “tomorrow” to negotiate an end to conflict in Ukraine, provided that Ukrainian troops are withdrawn from several key regions. He also demanded that Ukraine give up all plans to join NATO, saying that the “moral responsibility for the continuation of bloodshed” would be on the West if the proposal was rejected.
Putin said: “I want to emphasize, it must be from the entire territory of these regions within their administrative borders as they existed at the time of their incorporation into Ukraine.
“As soon as Kyiv says they’re ready for such a decision and start the real withdrawal of forces from these regions and officially declare rejection of plans to join NATO, from our side, immediately, literally the same minute, will come an order to stop the fire and start negotiations.
I will make this simple — the West and Ukraine better damn well take Putin seriously. He means exactly what he said. In contrast with what Russia proposed to accept as a result of its negotiations with the Ukrainians in March 22, Russia no longer is willing to surrender Donetsk and Luhansk to President Zelensky. That ship has sailed. Instead, Russia is laying stake to Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporyzhzhia as permanent members of the Russian Federation.
Just imagine how things would look today for Ukraine if it had abided by Minsk 2 or had accepted the terms negotiated in March 22 — Ukraine would still be intact and at least 400,000 Ukrainian soldiers, who were KIA, would still be alive.
Notice what Putin did not say? He left Odessa off of his list of demands. This is Ukraine’s last chance to retain control of Odessa. If Ukraine continues to reject Putin’s latest offer for negotiations, then Odessa will be the next non-negotiable item on Putin’s list. Ray McGovern and I discussed these issues today with Judge Nap.
