A Ukrainian presidential aide said Russian leader Vladimir Putin has lost touch with reality after his speech to the Russian military and the elite this week. Putin has accused the United States-led NATO alliance of fueling the war and that he intends to continue the armed conflict that is nearing its first year.
Senior Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak told Reuters on Tuesday that Putin’s speech showed how the Russian leader is so out of touch with reality. Podolyak added that any move Russia makes would only make the situation worse.
“He is in a completely different reality, where there is no opportunity to conduct a dialogue about justice and international law,” said Podolyak. “Russia is at a dead end. In the most desperate situation. Everything that Russia will do next will only worsen its situation.”
Podolyak added that Putin was confused and does not understand the situation and that this would only pose more difficulties for Russia in the near future. Podolyak said that this meant that there would be increasing chaos on the ground and among the Kremlin’s ranks. Ukrainian officials have previously mentioned the significance of internal divisions within Russia as the war approaches its first year.
During his speech to the military and the Russian elite, Putin said he intends to continue the war, blaming the NATO alliance for fueling the conflict in the belief that the West could defeat Russia in a global confrontation. Putin further alleged that the US was turning the war into a global conflict and suspended the New START treaty Moscow has with Washington over arms control.
On the same day as Putin delivered his speech, US President Joe Biden said in his speech in Warsaw that Ukraine remains standing and that Moscow would never defeat Ukraine. Biden also touched on Putin’s accusations.
“When President Putin ordered his tanks to roll into Ukraine, he thought we would roll over. He was wrong,” said Biden in his speech which took place shortly after Putin’s remarks. “Appetites of the autocrat cannot be appeased. They must be opposed. Autocrats only understand one word: No, no, no. No, you will not take my country.”
“The West was not plotting to attack Russia, as Putin said today…This war was never a necessity. It’s a tragedy. President Putin chose this war,” said Biden.