Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers his annual address in Moscow on Tuesday. [Photo/Agencies]
Russian leader accuses US-led alliance of threatening his country's existence
MOSCOW/WARSAW — Russia's President Vladimir Putin says his country will continue its yearlong "special military operation" in Ukraine, and he accused the United States-led NATO alliance of fanning the flames of the conflict in the mistaken belief that it could defeat Moscow in a global confrontation.
Flanked by four Russian flags on either side on Tuesday, Putin told Russia's political and military officials that the country would "carefully and consistently resolve the tasks facing us" in Ukraine.
In addition to the pledge to press on with the fight and warnings to the West of a global confrontation, Putin said the conflict had been forced on Russia and that he understood the pain of the families of those who had fallen in battle.
"The people of Ukraine have become the hostage of the Kyiv regime and its Western overlords, who have effectively occupied this country in the political, military and economic sense.
"They intend to transform a local conflict into a phase of global confrontation. This is exactly how we understand it all, and we will react accordingly, because in this case we are talking about the existence of our country."
Defeating Russia was impossible, he said, and it would never yield to Western attempts to divide its society. A majority of Russians support the country's actions in Ukraine, he said
He asked his audience, including lawmakers, soldiers, spy chiefs and state company bosses, to stand in tribute to those who had lost their lives in the conflict. He promised a special fund for the families of the victims.
With tens of thousands of people killed, Putin said, Russia is locked in an existential battle with an arrogant West, which he says wants to carve up Russia and steal its vast natural resources.
Putin, 70, who was handed the presidency on the last day of 1999 by Boris Yeltsin, said the West had failed to destroy the Russian economy with the severest sanctions in modern history.
"They want to make the people suffer ... but their calculation did not materialize. The Russian economy and the management turned out to be much stronger than they thought."
He called on major Asian businesses to invest in Russia's economy. The $2.1 trillion economy is forecast by the International Monetary Fund to grow 0.3 percent this year, a much better result than was forecast when the conflict began.
In Poland, US President Joe Biden, fresh from a visit to Kyiv, was expected on Tuesday afternoon local time to reaffirm to allies that his country is squarely behind Ukraine and committed to bolstering NATO's eastern flank. Earlier that day, he met Poland's President Andrzej Duda.
Biden arrived in Warsaw late on Monday after a dramatic visit to Kyiv, where he met Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is seeking more weaponry.
More US support to Kyiv
While Biden was in Kyiv, the US State Department announced more support for Ukraine, comprising $450 million of artillery ammunition, anti-armor systems and air defense radars, and $10 million for energy infrastructure.
However, Biden has not acceded to Ukraine's request for fighter jets.
In a speech on Tuesday he was due to rally support for Ukraine as the conflict enters its second year on Friday.
Poland has NATO's longest border with Ukraine and has been the main route in for weapons and out for refugees. Earlier, Duda's foreign policy adviser said the two leaders would discuss Poland's security and scaling up NATO resources there.
Marian Switala, 70, of Warsaw, said he hoped "that this conflict will somehow be resolved and there will be peace in Ukraine and the surrounding area".
Before returning to Washington on Wednesday Biden was due to meet leaders of the Bucharest Nine, the countries on NATO's eastern flank, to reaffirm support for their security.
