Putin: '' Western Ukraine used as a pretext to curb Russia '

"If it were not for the Ukrainian crisis, they would have invented something to curb the growing opportunities of Russia"

Putin held his traditional annual address to members of both chambers, meeting in the Kremlin. The Russian president is notably Income Ukrainian crisis and the annexation of Crimea to Russia as it considers appropriate. He also sharply criticized the attitude of the West.

"The historic reunification of the Crimea and Sevastopol with Russia finally took place. (Applause) For our people, our country, these events are of particular importance, because our people live in the Crimea, because it is strategic territory and because the Crimea is a sacred source of our Russian nation multifaceted but unified (...) I am sure that the Ukrainian people will judge for himself the situation. Regarding the association of Ukraine with the European Union, there has been absolutely no dialogue. It was suggested to us that it was not our business. To speak vulgarly, they simply told us to go to hell. ''

Vladimir Putin also discussed the thorny issue of Western sanctions, which heavily impact the Russian economy. For the head of the Kremlin, the crisis in the Crimea was a pretext used by the United States and the Europeans to curb the ambitions of Russia.

"The sanctions are not just a nervous reaction of the United States and its allies to our vis-à-vis the events and the coup in Ukraine, or the so-called Spring Crimea. I'm sure that if none of this had happened, they would have invented something to curb the growing opportunities in Russia and to serve their own interests. ''

Methods that do not date from yesterday Vladimir Putin, who poses as the victim Westerners, whose only ambition, he said, is to weaken Russia.

"Despite our openness and our unprecedented willingness to cooperate on the most difficult issues, and despite the fact that we consider our enemies yesterday as close friends and allies, we had no doubt that they have the pleasure of putting us in the Yugoslav disintegration scenario, but we made sure that this does not happen, the same way that Hitler was not achieved his ends. Everyone should remember how this stuff ends. ''

Despite his criticism of Western Vladimir Putin said he did not intend to break off relations with Europe and America.