Putin says US is ‘dragging out’ war in Ukraine

Vladimir Putin blamed the US for prolonging the war in Ukraine and fueling tensions in Taiwan.

Addressing a security conference Tuesday 16 August in Moscow, the Russian president said: “The situation in Ukraine shows that the United States is trying to drag the conflict out, and it acts in exactly the same way trying to fuel conflicts in Asia.”

Mr Putin added “bellicose military-political alliances” were being formed by Western powers and seeking to extend their influence to the Asia-Pacific region “similarly to NATO in Europe.”

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