Putin Defends Ukraine War, Blames West At China Summit

Putin Defends Ukraine War, Blames West At China Summit
He made the remarks at the SCO summit attended by key allies.
Moscow rejected ceasefire proposals, demanding territorial concessions Ukraine refuses.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday defended Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine, shifting blame to the West for triggering the conflict that has stretched for more than three years, killed tens of thousands, and devastated large parts of eastern Ukraine.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China, Putin claimed the crisis was not a result of Russia’s invasion in February 2022 but stemmed from Ukraine’s 2013–2014 pro-European revolution, which ousted a pro-Russian president. Moscow responded by annexing Crimea and backing separatists in the east, a move that escalated into a full-scale war.

“The crisis was not triggered by Russia’s attack on Ukraine, but by a coup supported and provoked by the West,” Putin said. He also cited NATO expansion efforts as a second major factor, accusing the West of persistently trying to pull Ukraine into the military alliance.

The SCO summit gathered Russian allies, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Moscow and Beijing continue to present the organisation as a counterweight to Western-led alliances such as NATO.

Putin insisted the world needed a “system that would replace outdated Eurocentric and Euro-Atlantic models and reflect the interests of a wider circle of countries.” He praised China, India, and Iran for their efforts toward possible peace solutions.

Despite repeated calls from Washington for Moscow and Kyiv to negotiate, Putin has rejected ceasefire appeals, demanding that Ukraine cede more territory and abandon Western support conditions Kyiv has dismissed outright.

The Russian leader revealed he would hold bilateral talks with Modi, Pezeshkian, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan later in the day, where discussions on the war and ongoing diplomacy would feature prominently.

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