President of?Russia Vladimir Putin
: Federation Council members, State Duma deputies, good afternoon. Representatives of?the?Republic of?Crimea and?Sevastopol are here among us, citizens of?Russia, residents of?Crimea and?Sevastopol!
Dear friends, we have gathered here today in?connection with an?issue that is of?vital, historic significance to?all of?us. A?referendum was held in?Crimea on?March?16 in?full compliance with democratic procedures and?international norms.
More than 82 percent of?the?electorate took part in?the?vote. Over 96 percent of?them spoke out in?favour of?reuniting with Russia. These numbers speak for?themselves.
To?understand the?reason behind such a?choice it is enough to?know the?history of?Crimea and?what Russia and?Crimea have always meant for?each other.
Everything in?Crimea speaks of?our shared history and?pride. This is the?location of?ancient Khersones, where Prince Vladimir was baptised. His spiritual feat of?adopting Orthodoxy predetermined the?overall basis of?the?culture, civilisation and?human values that unite the?peoples of?Russia, Ukraine and?Belarus. The?graves of?Russian soldiers whose bravery brought Crimea into the?Russian empire are also in?Crimea. This is also Sevastopol?? a?legendary city with an?outstanding history, a?fortress that serves as?the?birthplace of?Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. Crimea is Balaklava and?Kerch, Malakhov Kurgan and?Sapun Ridge. Each one of?these places is dear to?our hearts, symbolising Russian military glory and?outstanding valour.
Crimea is a?unique blend of?different peoples’ cultures and?traditions. This makes it similar to?Russia as?a?whole, where not a?single ethnic group has been lost over the?centuries. Russians and?Ukrainians, Crimean Tatars and?people of?other ethnic groups have lived side by?side in?Crimea, retaining their own identity, traditions, languages and?faith.
Incidentally, the?total population of?the?Crimean Peninsula today is 2.2 million people, of?whom almost 1.5 million are Russians, 350,000 are Ukrainians who predominantly consider Russian their native language, and?about 290,000?300,000 are Crimean Tatars, who, as?the?referendum has shown, also lean towards Russia.
True, there was a?time when Crimean Tatars were treated unfairly, just as?a?number of?other peoples in?the?USSR. There is only one thing I?can say here: millions of?people of?various ethnicities suffered during those repressions, and?primarily Russians.
Crimean Tatars returned to?their homeland. I?believe we should make all the?necessary political and?legislative decisions to?finalise the?rehabilitation of?Crimean Tatars, restore them in?their rights and?clear their good name.
We have great respect for?people of?all the?ethnic groups living in?Crimea. This is their common home, their motherland, and?it would be right?? I?know the?local population supports this?? for?Crimea to?have three equal national languages: Russian, Ukrainian and?Tatar.
Colleagues,
In?people’s hearts and?minds, Crimea has always been an?inseparable part of?Russia. This firm conviction is based on?truth and?justice and?was passed from generation to?generation, over time, under any circumstances, despite all the?dramatic changes our country went through during the?entire 20
th
century.
After the?revolution, the?Bolsheviks, for?a?number of?reasons?? may God judge them?? added large sections of?the?historical South of?Russia to?the?Republic of?Ukraine. This was done with no consideration for?the?ethnic make-up of?the?population, and?today these areas form the?southeast of?Ukraine. Then, in?1954, a?decision was made to?transfer Crimean Region to?Ukraine, along with Sevastopol, despite the?fact that it was a?federal city. This was the?personal initiative of?the?Communist Party head Nikita Khrushchev. What stood behind this decision of?his?? a?desire to?win the?support of?the?Ukrainian political establishment or?to?atone for?the?mass repressions of?the?1930’s in?Ukraine?? is for?historians to?figure out.
What matters now is that this decision was made in?clear violation of?the?constitutional norms that were in?place even then. The?decision was made behind the?scenes. Naturally, in?a?totalitarian state nobody bothered to?ask the?citizens of?Crimea and?Sevastopol. They were faced with the?fact. People, of?course, wondered why all of?a?sudden Crimea became part of?Ukraine. But on?the?whole?? and?we must state this clearly, we all know it?? this decision was treated as?a?formality of?sorts because the?territory was transferred within the?boundaries of?a?single state. Back then, it was impossible to?imagine that Ukraine and?Russia may split up and?become two separate states. However, this has happened.
Unfortunately, what seemed impossible became a?reality. The?USSR fell apart. Things developed so swiftly that few people realised how truly dramatic those events and?their consequences would be. Many people both in?Russia and?in?Ukraine, as?well as?in?other republics hoped that the?Commonwealth of?Independent States that was created at?the?time would become the?new common form of?statehood. They were told that there would be a?single currency, a?single economic space, joint armed forces; however, all this remained empty promises, while the?big country was gone. It was only when Crimea ended up as?part of?a?different country that Russia realised that it was not simply robbed, it was plundered.
At?the?same time, we have to?admit that by?launching the?sovereignty parade Russia itself aided in?the?collapse of?the?Soviet Union. And?as?this collapse was legalised, everyone forgot about Crimea and?Sevastopol ? the?main base of?the?Black Sea Fleet. Millions of?people went to?bed in?one country and?awoke in?different ones, overnight becoming ethnic minorities in?former Union republics, while the?Russian nation became one of?the?biggest, if not the?biggest ethnic group in?the?world to?be divided by?borders.
Now, many years later, I?heard residents of?Crimea say that back in?1991 they were handed over like a?sack of?potatoes. This is hard to?disagree with. And?what about the?Russian state? What about Russia? It humbly accepted the?situation. This country was going through such hard times then that realistically it was incapable of?protecting its interests. However, the?people could not reconcile themselves to?this outrageous historical injustice. All these years, citizens and?many public figures came back to?this issue, saying that Crimea is historically Russian land and?Sevastopol is a?Russian city. Yes, we all knew this in?our hearts and?minds, but we had to?proceed from the?existing reality and?build our good-neighbourly relations with independent Ukraine on?a?new basis. Meanwhile, our relations with Ukraine, with the?fraternal Ukrainian people have always been and?will remain of?foremost importance for?us.
Today we can speak about it openly, and?I?would like to?share with you some details of?the?negotiations that took place in?the?early 2000s. The?then President of?Ukraine Mr Kuchma asked me to?expedite the?process of?delimiting the?Russian-Ukrainian border. At?that time, the?process was practically at?a?standstill. Russia seemed to?have recognised Crimea as?part of?Ukraine, but there were no negotiations on?delimiting the?borders. Despite the?complexity of?the?situation, I?immediately issued instructions to?Russian government agencies to?speed up their work to?document the?borders, so that everyone had a?clear understanding that by?agreeing to?delimit the?border we admitted de facto and?de jure that Crimea was Ukrainian territory, thereby closing the?issue.
We accommodated Ukraine not only regarding Crimea, but also on?such a?complicated matter as?the?maritime boundary in?the?Sea of?Azov and?the?Kerch Strait. What we proceeded from back then was that good relations with Ukraine matter most for?us and?they should not fall hostage to?deadlock territorial disputes. However, we expected Ukraine to?remain our good neighbour, we hoped that Russian citizens and?Russian speakers in?Ukraine, especially its southeast and?Crimea, would live in?a?friendly, democratic and?civilised state that would protect their rights in?line with the?norms of?international law.
However, this is not how the?situation developed. Time and?time again attempts were made to?deprive Russians of?their historical memory, even of?their language and?to?subject them to?forced assimilation. Moreover, Russians, just as?other citizens of?Ukraine are suffering from the?constant political and?state crisis that has been rocking the?country for?over 20 years.
I?understand why Ukrainian people wanted change. They have had enough of?the?authorities in?power during the?years of?Ukraine’s independence. Presidents, prime ministers and?parliamentarians changed, but their attitude to?the?country and?its people remained the?same. They milked the?country, fought among themselves for?power, assets and?cash flows and?did not care much about the?ordinary people. They did not wonder why it was that millions of?Ukrainian citizens saw no prospects at?home and?went to?other countries to?work as?day labourers. I?would like to?stress this: it was not some Silicon Valley they fled to, but to?become day labourers. Last year alone almost 3 million people found such jobs in?Russia. According to?some sources, in?2013 their earnings in?Russia totalled over $20 billion, which is about 12% of?Ukraine’s GDP.
I?would like to?reiterate that I?understand those who came out on?Maidan with peaceful slogans against corruption, inefficient state management and?poverty. The?right to?peaceful protest, democratic procedures and?elections exist for?the?sole purpose of?replacing the?authorities that do not satisfy the?people. However, those who stood behind the?latest events in?Ukraine had a?different agenda: they were preparing yet another government takeover; they wanted to?seize power and?would stop short of?nothing. They resorted to?terror, murder and?riots. Nationalists, neo-Nazis, Russophobes and?anti-Semites executed this coup. They continue to?set the?tone in?Ukraine to?this day.
The?new so-called authorities began by?introducing a?draft law to?revise the?language policy, which was a?direct infringement on?the?rights of?ethnic minorities. However, they were immediately ‘disciplined’ by?the?foreign sponsors of?these so-called politicians. One has to?admit that the?mentors of?these current authorities are smart and?know well what such attempts to?build a?purely Ukrainian state may lead to. The?draft law was set aside, but clearly reserved for?the?future. Hardly any mention is made of?this attempt now, probably on?the?presumption that people have a?short memory. Nevertheless, we can all clearly see the?intentions of?these ideological heirs of?Bandera, Hitler’s accomplice during World War II.
It is also obvious that there is no legitimate executive authority in?Ukraine now, nobody to?talk to. Many government agencies have been taken over by?the?impostors, but they do not have any control in?the?country, while they themselves?? and?I?would like to?stress this?? are often controlled by?radicals. In?some cases, you need a?special permit from the?militants on?Maidan to?meet with certain ministers of?the?current government. This is not a?joke?? this is reality.
Those who opposed the?coup were immediately threatened with repression. Naturally, the?first in?line here was Crimea, the?Russian-speaking Crimea. In?view of?this, the?residents of?Crimea and?Sevastopol turned to?Russia for?help in?defending their rights and?lives, in?preventing the?events that were unfolding and?are still underway in?Kiev, Donetsk, Kharkov and?other Ukrainian cities.
Naturally, we could not leave this plea unheeded; we could not abandon Crimea and?its residents in?distress. This would have been betrayal on?our part.
First, we had to?help create conditions so that the?residents of?Crimea for?the?first time in?history were able to?peacefully express their free will regarding their own future. However, what do we hear from our colleagues in?Western Europe and?North America? They say we are violating norms of?international law. Firstly, it’s a?good thing that they at?least remember that there exists such a?thing as?international law?? better late than never.
Secondly, and?most importantly?? what exactly are we violating? True, the?President of?the?Russian Federation received permission from the?Upper House of?Parliament to?use the?Armed Forces in?Ukraine. However, strictly speaking, nobody has acted on?this permission yet. Russia’s Armed Forces never entered Crimea; they were there already in?line with an?international agreement. True, we did enhance our forces there; however?? this is something I?would like everyone to?hear and?know?? we did not exceed the?personnel limit of?our Armed Forces in?Crimea, which is set at?25,000, because there was no need to?do so.
Next. As?it declared independence and?decided to?hold a?referendum, the?Supreme Council of?Crimea referred to?the?United Nations Charter, which speaks of?the?right of?nations to?self-determination. Incidentally, I?would like to?remind you that when Ukraine seceded from the?USSR it did exactly the?same thing, almost word for?word. Ukraine used this right, yet the?residents of?Crimea are denied it. Why is that?
Moreover, the?Crimean authorities referred to?the?well-known Kosovo precedent?? a?precedent our western colleagues created with their own hands in?a?very similar situation, when they agreed that the?unilateral separation of?Kosovo from Serbia, exactly what Crimea is doing now, was legitimate and?did not require any permission from the?country’s central authorities. Pursuant to?Article 2, Chapter 1 of?the?United Nations Charter, the?UN International Court agreed with this approach and?made the?following comment in?its ruling of?July?22, 2010, and?I?quote: “No general prohibition may be inferred from the?practice of?the?Security Council with regard to?declarations of?independence,” and?“General international law contains no prohibition on?declarations of?independence.” Crystal clear, as?they say.
I?do not like to?resort to?quotes, but in?this case, I?cannot help it. Here is a?quote from another official document: the?Written Statement of?the?United States America of?April?17, 2009, submitted to?the?same UN International Court in?connection with the?hearings on?Kosovo. Again, I?quote: “Declarations of?independence may, and?often do, violate domestic legislation. However, this does not make them violations of?international law.” End of?quote. They wrote this, disseminated it all over the?world, had everyone agree and?now they are outraged. Over what? The?actions of?Crimean people completely fit in?with these instructions, as?it were. For?some reason, things that Kosovo Albanians (and?we have full respect for?them) were permitted to?do, Russians, Ukrainians and?Crimean Tatars in?Crimea are not allowed. Again, one wonders why.
We keep hearing from the?United States and?Western Europe that Kosovo is some special case. What makes it so special in?the?eyes of?our colleagues? It turns out that it is the?fact that the?conflict in?Kosovo resulted in?so many human casualties. Is this a?legal argument? The?ruling of?the?International Court says nothing about this. This is not even double standards; this is amazing, primitive, blunt cynicism. One should not try so crudely to?make everything suit their interests, calling the?same thing white today and?black tomorrow. According to?this logic, we have to?make sure every conflict leads to?human losses.
I?will state clearly?? if the?Crimean local self-defence units had not taken the?situation under control, there could have been casualties as?well. Fortunately this did not happen. There was not a?single armed confrontation in?Crimea and?no casualties. Why do you think this was so? The?answer is simple: because it is very difficult, practically impossible to?fight against the?will of?the?people. Here I?would like to?thank the?Ukrainian military?? and?this is 22,000 fully armed servicemen. I?would like to?thank those Ukrainian service members who refrained from bloodshed and?did not smear their uniforms in?blood.
Other thoughts come to?mind in?this connection. They keep talking of?some Russian intervention in?Crimea, some sort of?aggression. This is strange to?hear. I?cannot recall a?single case in?history of?an?intervention without a?single shot being fired and?with no human casualties.
Colleagues,
Like a?mirror, the?situation in?Ukraine reflects what is going on?and?what has been happening in?the?world over the?past several decades. After the?dissolution
of?bipolarity on?the?planet, we no longer have stability. Key international institutions are not getting any stronger; on?the?contrary, in?many cases, they are sadly degrading. Our western partners, led by?the?United States of?America, prefer not to?be guided by?international law in?their practical policies, but by?the?rule of?the?gun. They have come to?believe in?their exclusivity and?exceptionalism, that they can decide the?destinies of?the?world, that only they can ever be right. They act as?they please: here and?there, they use force against sovereign states, building coalitions based on?the?principle “If you are not with us, you are against us.” To?make this aggression look legitimate, they force the?necessary resolutions from international organisations, and?if for?some reason this does not work, they simply ignore the?UN Security Council and?the?UN overall.
This happened in?Yugoslavia; we remember 1999 very well. It was hard to?believe, even seeing it with my?own eyes, that at?the?end of?the?20
th
century, one of?Europe’s capitals, Belgrade, was under missile attack for?several weeks, and?then came the?real intervention. Was there a?UN Security Council resolution on?this matter, allowing for?these actions? Nothing of?the?sort. And?then, they hit Afghanistan, Iraq, and?frankly violated the?UN Security Council resolution on?Libya, when instead of?imposing the?so-called no-fly zone over it they started bombing it too.
There was a?whole series of?controlled “colour” revolutions. Clearly, the?people in?those nations, where these events took place, were sick of?tyranny and?poverty, of?their lack of?prospects; but these feelings were taken advantage of?cynically. Standards were imposed on?these nations that did not in?any way correspond to?their way of?life, traditions, or?these peoples’ cultures. As?a?result, instead of?democracy and?freedom, there was chaos, outbreaks in?violence and?a?series of?upheavals. The?Arab Spring turned into the?Arab Winter.
A?similar situation unfolded in?Ukraine. In?2004, to?push the?necessary candidate through at?the?presidential elections, they thought up some sort of?third round that was not stipulated by?the?law. It was absurd and?a?mockery of?the?constitution. And?now, they have thrown in?an?organised and?well-equipped army of?militants.
We understand what is happening; we understand that these actions were aimed against Ukraine and?Russia and?against Eurasian integration. And?all this while Russia strived to?engage in?dialogue with our colleagues in?the?West. We are constantly proposing cooperation on?all key issues; we want to?strengthen our level of?trust and?for?our relations to?be equal, open and?fair. But we saw no reciprocal steps.
On?the?contrary, they have lied to?us many times, made decisions behind our backs, placed us before an?accomplished fact.
This happened with NATO’s expansion to?the?East, as?well as?the?deployment of?military infrastructure at?our borders. They kept telling us the?same thing: “Well, this does not concern you.” That’s easy to?say.
It happened with the?deployment of?a?missile defence system. In?spite of?all our apprehensions, the?project is working and?moving forward. It happened with the?endless foot-dragging in?the?talks on?visa issues, promises of?fair competition and?free access to?global markets.
Today, we are being threatened with sanctions, but we already experience
many limitations, ones that are quite significant for?us, our economy and?our nation. For?example, still during the?times of?the?Cold War, the?US and?subsequently other nations restricted a?large list of?technologies and?equipment from being sold to?the?USSR, creating the?Coordinating Committee for?Multilateral Export Controls list. Today, they have formally been eliminated, but only formally; and?in?reality, many limitations are still in?effect.
In?short, we have every reason to?assume that the?infamous policy of?containment, led in?the?18
th
, 19
th
and?20
th
centuries, continues today. They are constantly trying to?sweep us into a?corner
because we have an?independent position, because we maintain it and?because we call things like they are and?do not engage in?hypocrisy. But there is a?limit to?everything. And?with Ukraine, our western partners have crossed the?line, playing the?bear and?acting irresponsibly and?unprofessionally.
After all, they were fully aware that there are millions of?Russians living in?Ukraine and?in?Crimea. They must have really lacked political instinct and?common sense not to?foresee all the?consequences of?their actions. Russia found itself in?a?position it could not retreat from. If you compress the?spring all the?way to?its limit, it will snap back hard. You must always remember this.
Today, it is imperative to?end this hysteria, to?refute the?rhetoric of?the?cold war and?to?accept the?obvious fact: Russia is an?independent, active participant in?international affairs; like other countries, it has its own national interests that need to?be taken into account and?respected.
At?the?same time, we are grateful to?all those who understood our actions in?Crimea; we are grateful to?the?people of?China, whose leaders have always considered
the?situation in?Ukraine and?Crimea taking into account the?full historical and?political context, and?greatly appreciate India’s reserve and?objectivity.
Today, I?would like to?address the?people of?the?United States of?America, the?people who, since the?foundation of?their nation and?adoption of?the?Declaration of?Independence, have been proud to?hold freedom above all else. Isn’t the?desire of?Crimea’s residents to?freely choose their fate such a?value? Please understand us.
I?believe that the?Europeans, first and?foremost, the?Germans, will also understand me. Let me remind you that in?the?course of?political consultations on?the?unification of?East and?West Germany, at?the?expert, though very high level, some nations that were then and?are now Germany’s allies did not support the?idea of?unification. Our nation, however, unequivocally supported the?sincere, unstoppable desire of?the?Germans for?national unity. I?am confident that you have not forgotten this, and?I?expect that the?citizens of?Germany will also support the?aspiration of?the?Russians, of?historical Russia, to?restore unity.
I?also want to?address the?people of?Ukraine. I?sincerely want you to?understand us: we do not want to?harm you in?any way, or?to?hurt your national feelings. We have always respected the?territorial integrity of?the?Ukrainian state, incidentally, unlike those who sacrificed Ukraine’s unity for?their political ambitions. They flaunt slogans about Ukraine’s greatness, but they are the?ones who did everything to?divide the?nation. Today’s civil standoff is entirely on?their conscience. I?want you to?hear me, my?dear friends. Do not believe those who want you to?fear Russia, shouting that other regions will follow Crimea. We do not want to?divide Ukraine; we do not need that. As?for?Crimea, it was and?remains a?Russian, Ukrainian, and?Crimean-Tatar land.
I?repeat, just as?it has been for?centuries, it will be a?home to?all the?peoples living there. What it will never be and?do is follow in?Bandera’s footsteps!
Crimea is our common historical legacy and?a?very important factor in?regional stability. And?this strategic territory should be part of?a?strong and?stable sovereignty, which today can only be Russian. Otherwise, dear friends (I?am addressing both Ukraine and?Russia), you and?we?? the?Russians and?the?Ukrainians?? could lose Crimea completely, and?that could happen in?the?near historical perspective. Please think about it.
Let me note too that we have already heard declarations from Kiev about Ukraine soon joining NATO. What would this have meant for?Crimea and?Sevastopol in?the?future? It would have meant that NATO’s navy would be right there in?this city of?Russia’s military glory, and?this would create not an?illusory but a?perfectly real threat to?the?whole of?southern Russia. These are things that could have become reality were it not for?the?choice the?Crimean people made, and?I?want to?say thank you to?them for?this.
But let me say too that we are not opposed to?cooperation with NATO, for?this is certainly not the?case. For?all the?internal processes within the?organisation, NATO remains a?military alliance, and?we are against having a?military alliance making itself at?home right in?our backyard or?in?our historic territory. I?simply cannot imagine that we would travel to?Sevastopol to?visit NATO sailors. Of?course, most of?them are wonderful guys, but it would be better to?have them come and?visit us, be our guests, rather than the?other way round.
Let me say quite frankly that it pains our hearts to?see what is happening in?Ukraine at?the?moment, see the?people’s suffering and?their uncertainty about how to?get through today and?what awaits them tomorrow. Our concerns are understandable because we are not simply close neighbours but, as?I?have said many times already, we are one people. Kiev is the?mother of?Russian cities. Ancient Rus is our common source and?we cannot live without each other.
Let me say one other thing too. Millions of?Russians and?Russian-speaking people live in?Ukraine and?will continue to?do so. Russia will always defend their interests using political, diplomatic and?legal means. But it should be above all in?Ukraine’s own interest to?ensure that these people’s rights and?interests are fully protected. This is the?guarantee of?Ukraine’s state stability and?territorial integrity.
We want to?be friends with Ukraine and?we want Ukraine to?be a?strong, sovereign and?self-sufficient country. Ukraine is one of?our biggest partners after all. We have many joint projects and?I?believe in?their success no matter what the?current difficulties. Most importantly, we want peace and?harmony to?reign in?Ukraine, and?we are ready to?work together with other countries to?do everything possible to?facilitate and?support this. But as?I?said, only Ukraine’s own people can put their own house in?order.
Residents of?Crimea and?the?city of?Sevastopol, the?whole of?Russia admired your courage, dignity and?bravery. It was you who decided Crimea’s future. We were closer than ever over these days, supporting each other. These were sincere feelings of?solidarity. It is at?historic turning points such as?these that a?nation demonstrates its maturity and?strength of?spirit. The?Russian people showed this maturity and?strength through their united support for?their compatriots.
Russia’s foreign policy position on?this matter drew its firmness from the?will of?millions of?our people, our national unity and?the?support of?our country’s main political and?public forces. I?want to?thank everyone for?this patriotic spirit, everyone without exception. Now, we need to?continue and?maintain this kind of?consolidation so as?to?resolve the?tasks our country faces on?its road ahead.
Obviously, we will encounter external opposition, but this is a?decision that we need to?make for?ourselves. Are we ready to?consistently defend our national interests, or?will we forever give in, retreat to?who knows where? Some Western politicians are already threatening us with not just sanctions but also the?prospect of?increasingly serious problems on?the?domestic front. I?would like to?know what it is they have in?mind exactly: action by?a?fifth column, this disparate bunch of?‘national traitors’, or?are they hoping to?put us in?a?worsening social and?economic situation so as?to?provoke public discontent? We consider such statements irresponsible and?clearly aggressive in?tone, and?we will respond to?them accordingly. At?the?same time, we will never seek confrontation with our partners, whether in?the?East or?the?West, but on?the?contrary, will do everything we can to?build civilised and?good-neighbourly relations as?one is supposed to?in?the?modern world.?
Colleagues,
I?understand the?people of?Crimea, who put the?question in?the?clearest possible terms in?the?referendum: should Crimea be with Ukraine or?with Russia? We can be sure in?saying that the?authorities in?Crimea and?Sevastopol, the?legislative authorities, when they formulated the?question, set aside group and?political interests and?made the?people’s fundamental interests alone the?cornerstone of?their work. The?particular historic, population, political and?economic circumstances of?Crimea would have made any other proposed option?? however tempting it could be at?the?first glance?? only temporary and?fragile and?would have inevitably led to?further worsening of?the?situation there, which would have had disastrous effects on?people’s lives. The?people of?Crimea thus decided to?put the?question in?firm and?uncompromising form, with no grey areas. The?referendum was fair and?transparent, and?the?people of?Crimea clearly and?convincingly expressed their will and?stated that they want to?be with Russia.
Russia will also have to?make a?difficult decision now, taking into account the?various domestic and?external considerations. What do people here in?Russia think? Here, like in?any democratic country, people have different points of?view, but I?want to?make the?point that the?absolute majority of?our people clearly do support what is happening.
The?most recent public opinion surveys conducted here in?Russia show that 95 percent of?people think that Russia should protect the?interests of?Russians and?members of?other ethnic groups living in?Crimea?? 95 percent of?our citizens. More than 83 percent think that Russia should do this even if it will complicate our relations with some other countries. A?total of?86 percent of?our people see Crimea as?still being Russian territory and?part of?our country’s lands. And?one particularly important figure, which corresponds exactly with the?result in?Crimea’s referendum: almost 92 percent of?our people support Crimea’s reunification with Russia.?
Thus we see that the?overwhelming majority of?people in?Crimea and?the?absolute majority of?the?Russian Federation’s people support the?reunification of?the?Republic of?Crimea and?the?city of?Sevastopol with Russia.
Now this is a?matter for?Russia’s own political decision, and?any decision here can be based only on?the?people’s will, because the?people is the?ultimate source of?all authority.
Members of?the?Federation Council, deputies of?the?State Duma, citizens of?Russia, residents of?Crimea and?Sevastopol, today, in?accordance with the?people’s will, I?submit to?the?Federal Assembly a?request to?consider a?Constitutional Law on?the?creation of?two new constituent entities within the?Russian Federation: the?Republic of?Crimea and?the?city of?Sevastopol, and?to?ratify the?treaty on?admitting to?the?Russian Federation Crimea and?Sevastopol, which is already ready for?signing. I?stand assured of?your support.