Vladimir Putin: Crisis in Ukraine caused by West's support of coup d’etat

The crisis in Ukraine was caused not by Russia, but by the West’s support of the anti-constitutional coup in the country, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said today speaking at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum.

Russia will seek full implementation of the Minsk agreements, but it cannot do it unilaterally, Putin said. He suggested that the law on special status of Donbass “be finally implemented” in order to fulfill the Minsk agreements. “Kiev needs to come to practical activity from manipulations in the Ukrainian settlement,” the Russian president stressed.