Russia's Putin, In New Year Address, Voices Confidence In Victory In Ukraine
HuffPost
Russian President Vladimir Putin used his annual televised New Year's address to rally his troops fighting in Ukraine.
MOSCOW, Dec 31 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin used his annual televised New Year’s address to rally his troops fighting in Ukraine, saying he believed in them and in victory in a war that he has framed as part of an existential struggle with the West.
U.S. President Donald Trump is trying to broker an end to the nearly four-year-old conflict, Europe’s bloodiest conflagration since World War Two, with both sides’ negotiating stances still far apart.
Dressed in a black coat, Putin - whose forces are advancing slowly but steadily in Ukraine - spoke about Russia’s destiny and the unity of its people, which he said guaranteed the sovereignty and security of the “Fatherland”.
He paid tribute in particular to his forces fighting in Ukraine, calling them heroes.
“Millions of people across Russia — I assure you — are with you on this New Year’s Eve,” said Putin.
