Russian leader Vladimir Putin has once again reiterated his false claim that Russia's invasion of Ukraine was provoked by the West at a Heads of State Council meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

Source : Putin's remarks during the meeting 

Quote : "The crisis in Ukraine [as Putin calls Russia's war against Ukraine] did not arise from Russia's attack, but as a result of a coup d'état in Ukraine which was supported and provoked by the West. And then by armed attempts to suppress the resistance of those Ukrainian regions and those people who did not accept or support that coup.

And the second reason for the crisis lies in the constant attempts by the West to drag Ukraine into NATO, which, as we have repeatedly emphasised and said for many years, posed a direct threat to Russia's security."

Details : Putin added that he "highly values the efforts and proposals of China, India and other strategic partners aimed at promoting a settlement".

"I would note that the understandings reached at the recent Russian-US meeting in Alaska, I hope, also move in this direction, paving the way for peace in Ukraine," he said.

Meanwhile, Putin again insisted that "the root causes of the crisis in Ukraine must be eliminated and the balance in the security sphere restored" to end Russia's aggression against Ukraine.

Background: 

• On 18 August, US President Donald Trump said during a meeting with European leaders in the United States that it will become clear within a couple of weeks whether a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine can be reached.
• On 21 August, Trump already claimed that he would be able to assess the possibility of achieving peace in Ukraine "within two weeks".
• On 25 August, Trump said there would be "very big consequences" for Russia and that he would "step in very strongly" if no agreement to end hostilities in Ukraine was reached within the next two weeks.
• Axios reported that Trump is contemplating putting aside efforts to end the war in Ukraine for the time being, while his circle blames Europe for Ukraine's unwillingness to make greater concessions for a peace deal.

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