Vladimir Putin replied to Vice President Joe Biden’s visit to Ukraine on Tuesday with an inflammatory speech criticizing the West.
Biden visited with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kiev on Monday and unveiled a $500 million aid package. On Tuesday, Biden was slated to deliver a lecture on the Ukrainian crisis in Poland.
Putin issued a challenge to his people in his yearly address.
Fox News quotes Putin as saying in his yearly speech to the country, “I am forced to announce today that Russia is suspending its participation in the strategic offensive arms treaty,”
The April 2010 New START pact prohibits the United States and Russia from deploying more than 1,550 nuclear weapons.
Putin just announced the suspension of New START, the only remaining nuclear arms control treaty between the US and Russia. For the first time in decades, there are no limits on either country's arsenal. Sure to be declared another great diplomatic triumph for the Biden Admin
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) February 21, 2023
According to the U.K. Guardian, throughout his address, Putin depicted Ukraine as a weapon of the anti-Russian West, stating that Ukraine was helping its “Western masters” by battling Russia.
“The regime is not serving their national interest. They are serving the interests of foreign powers,” he said, and accused the West of trying to broaden the conflict, The Guardian reported.
“We will react in an appropriate way,” Putin said. “We are talking about the existence of our country.”
Putin mentioned regions of Russian-occupied Ukraine that chose to join Russia in fraudulent referendums last year, as evidence.
According to the Guardian, he told people of these regions, “You yourself determined your future.”
“You made your choice despite the threats of terror of the Nazis. Next to you there were military actions taking place, and you made the choice to be together with Russia. To be together with your motherland,” he remarked.
This morning, during Putin’s speech, the central part of Kherson was shelled by Russians from supposedly Grad multiple rocket launcher. At the moment, the city administration reports 6 dead and 12 injured civilians. In total, about 20 arrivals in the city were reported. pic.twitter.com/iayH6yoPru
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) February 21, 2023
More on this story via The Western Journal:
A report from CNN indicated Putin’s claim might mean less than it seemed, citing U.S. officials it did not name as saying Russia does not abide by the treaty anyway.
“Russia is not complying with its obligation under the New START Treaty to facilitate inspection activities on its territory,” a State Department representative said in January. CONTINUE READING…