THE U.S. TRYING TO START A WAR OVER UKRAINE. IT’S NOT THE SOLUTION. RICHARD ENGEL IS IN UKRAINE. >> Reporter: IN A WIDELY SOCIALLY DISTANCED JOINT STATEMENT WITH THE PRIME MINISTER OF HUNGARY, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN BROKE WEEKS OF SILENCE ON UKRAINE AND FOR THE FIRST TIME RESPONDED TO WRITTEN DIPLOMATIC PROPOSALS FROM THE U.S. AND NATO. RUSSIA’S CONCERNS WERE Mostly Rejected, PUTIN SAID. HE LAID OUT HIS SECURITY DEMANDS UNCHANGED EVEN AFTER WEEKS OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE U.S. NON-EXPANSION OF NATO. NO OFFENSIVE WEAPONS BY RUSSIA’S BORDER, HE SAID. PUTIN NEVER MENTIONED THE 130,000 RUSSIAN TROOPS MOBILIZED ON UKRAINE’S BOARDS INCLUDING TANKS, WAR SHIPS, MISSILES AND EVEN FRESH BLOOD SUPPLIES.INSTEAD, THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENT TALKED ABOUT CRIMEA. RUSSIA SEIZED AND ANNEXED IT FROM UKRAINE IN 2014. PUTIN SAYS IF UKRAINE JOINS NATO UKRAINE WOULD TRY TO RECAPTURE CRIMEA, TRIGGERING A FULL-BLOWN WAR BETWEEN NATO AND RUSSIA. >> SO PUTIN’S ARGUING THAT WHAT HE’S DOING NOW IS IN THE INTEREST OF WORLD PEACE. >> PRESIDENT PUTIN DID LEAVE OPEN THE DOOR FOR DIPLOMACY AND SAID HE HOPES THAT FURTHER DISCUSSIONS IN THE COMING WEEKS, BUT IT’S CLEAR THAT PUTIN IS STICKING TO HIS CORE.
Download a Free Prescription Drug Card
