Putin wants Russia and Ukraine to be friends

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Ukraine should respect the choice Crimeans had made. He expressed hope that Ukraine would understand that there was no other choice for Russia.Putin noted that Russia had always been a friend of Ukraine and had spent hundreds of billions of dollars in Ukraine. The president emphasized the need of the two countries to be together.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Ukraine should respect the choice Crimeans had made. He expressed hope that Ukraine would understand that there was no other choice for Russia.

Putin noted that Russia had always been a friend of Ukraine and had spent hundreds of billions of dollars in Ukraine. The president emphasized the need of the two countries to be together.