Interfax: Ukrainian opposition should be urged as well as government to use civilized methods – Putin

Ukraine Map and Flag

BRUSSELS. Jan 28 (Interfax) – In demanding that no force should be used and that civilized methods should be chosen in settling the conflict in Ukraine, Europe should address these demands not only to official Ukrainian authorities but also the opposition, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

In speaking at a press conference following an EU-Russia summit on Tuesday, Putin agreed with the EU leaders that the use of force is “always the last resort,” but insisted that this should equally concern both parties to the conflict.

“This hasn’t been shown in your media, but we’ve seen it: a cleric in western Ukraine is calling on the crowd to go to Kyiv and smash the government. And then the arguments: so that Negros, Moskals [a derogatory term for Russians in Ukraine] and Kikes do not boss us around in our home,” he said.

Putin said he was shocked to hear such remarks from a religious figure and described this as an extreme manifestation of nationalism, which is “absolutely unacceptable in a civilized world.”

“In urging the Ukrainian government and the president to act using civilized methods, we should also pay attention to their political rivals and urge them also to adhere to methods of civilized political struggle,” he said.

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