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Message: [QUOTE="Munyaradzi Mafaro, post: 63367, member: 636"] Russian President Vladimir Putin characterized the Ukraine crisis as a preventable tragedy on Thursday at the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi. Putin attributed the conflict to NATO's eastward expansion toward Russian borders and placed primary responsibility on Western Europe for the continuation of hostilities between Moscow and Kyiv. He described the situation as painful for both Ukrainians and Russians. Putin criticized Western European nations for promoting what he called hysteria about an imminent war with Russia and condemned widespread militarization across the continent. He warned that Russia would ultimately need to respond to such aggressive actions. The president emphasized that the conflict causes suffering for all parties involved and suggested it could have been avoided without NATO expansion policies. [/QUOTE]