• Putin attributes the Ukraine crisis to a 2014 coup supported by the West.
• He insists that NATO's expansion plans pose a threat to Russian security.
• Putin seeks long-term solutions by addressing the crisis's root causes.
• Ukrainian President Zelenskyy refutes Putin's claims, blaming Russia for the war.
• Putin promotes the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as an alternative to NATO.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has emphasized that the ongoing Ukraine crisis originated from a "coup" in Kyiv in 2014, which he claims was "provoked by the West." He stated, “This crisis did not arise as a result of Russia’s attack on Ukraine,” during a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) held in Tianjin, China. Putin argues that the West's backing of the coup triggered the crisis, which has resulted in significant conflict in the region, according to aa and trtglobal.

He further asserted that the removal of Ukraine's political leadership opposing NATO membership has compounded the tensions, stressing that efforts to integrate Ukraine into NATO pose a “direct threat” to Russia's security. Putin reiterated the need for a "long-term and sustainable" resolution to the crisis, emphasizing the importance of addressing its root causes according to Indiatimes.

In response to Putin's claims, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asserted that “the only one who wants this war is Russia,” and accused Moscow of continually attempting to prolong the conflict. Zelenskyy specifically highlighted Putin's visit to China as another opportunity for the Russian leader to evade accountability for the war's consequences, according to aa and trtglobal.

Putin's rhetoric continues to reflect a broader narrative pushing for an alternative world order that challenges Western dominance, as he described the SCO as a "powerful locomotive" for establishing genuine multilateralism. He asserts that nations should consider a balanced system that addresses the interests of diverse countries instead of following the West-centric models, as highlighted in multiple reports from Indiatimes and trtglobal.