U.S. official: Putin's Ukraine speech was 'meant to justify war' to Russian citizens

Russian President Vladimir Putin.
(Image credit: Alexey Nikolsky/AFP via Getty Images)

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared on Monday night that the eastern portion of Ukraine consists of "ancient Russian lands" and the country has "never had a tradition of genuine statehood."

He also accused the West of "trying to blackmail us again," using sanctions to "restrain the development of Russia."

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.