The root cause of the events in Ukraine is the action of the West, which sought to drag Ukraine into NATO. This was stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Sputnik Kazakhstan.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin arrived in India on Friday for a three-day working visit and is taking part in the BRICS summit.
"As soon as the authorities, I repeat, were changed through a bloody state coup, the goal was immediately set to bring Ukraine into NATO. In fact, ultimately this became the main cause of today's tragic events in Ukraine," Putin said.
Putin noted that Russia has repeatedly stated that NATO's eastward expansion is unacceptable.
According to him, Western countries removed former President Viktor Yanukovych, who opposed Ukraine's accession to NATO, from power through a state coup.