Vladimir Putin: Ukrainian crisis was caused by USA and their allies’ actions

“The Ukrainian crisis was not caused by the Russian Federation. It has emerged in response to the attempts of the USA and its western allies who considered themselves ‘winners’ of the cold war to impose their will everywhere,” Russian President Vladimir Putin has said in an interview to Al-Ahram daily newspaper in the run-up to his visit to Egypt.

“We have seen how NATO's infrastructure was moving closer and closer towards Russian borders and how Russian interests were being ignored,” the Russian president continued.

“We repeatedly warned the USA and its western allies about harmful consequences of their interference in Ukrainian domestic affairs but they did not listen to our opinion,” said Putin.