In an interview with Vesti journalist Pavel Zarubin, Russian President Vladimir Putin said European leaders were shifting blame to Moscow after earlier criticism of Washington, a move he said diverted attention from the protests’ causes.
Putin said early reactions blamed the U.S. administration and its support for right-wing parties and movements. He said the focus later moved to accusations that Russia had provoked the demonstrations.
He characterized the allegations against Russia as exaggerated and criticized some European leaders for directing blame toward Moscow rather than examining why the protests occurred or taking responsibility. His comments framed the sequence as a failure to address the causes of the demonstrations.
