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| Putin Asserts Right to Use Force in Eastern Ukraine | Putin Asserts Right to Use Force in Eastern Ukraine |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| MOSCOW — President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia emphasized on Thursday that the upper chamber of Parliament had authorized him to use military force if necessary in eastern Ukraine, and he asserted Russia’s historical claim to the territory in language not often used before, signaling a new and more aggressive policy. | MOSCOW — President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia emphasized on Thursday that the upper chamber of Parliament had authorized him to use military force if necessary in eastern Ukraine, and he asserted Russia’s historical claim to the territory in language not often used before, signaling a new and more aggressive policy. |
| Mr. Putin repeatedly referred to eastern Ukraine as “New Russia” — as the area north of the Black Sea was known after it was conquered by the Russian Empire in the late 1700s. He said only “God knows” why it became part of Ukraine in 1920. | Mr. Putin repeatedly referred to eastern Ukraine as “New Russia” — as the area north of the Black Sea was known after it was conquered by the Russian Empire in the late 1700s. He said only “God knows” why it became part of Ukraine in 1920. |
| Speaking in a televised question-and-answer show, Mr. Putin also admitted for the first time that Russian armed forces had been deployed in Crimea, the disputed peninsula Russia annexed last month immediately after a large majority of the population voted in a referendum to secede from Ukraine. But he dismissed suggestions that Russian troops were behind the unrest in eastern Ukraine. | Speaking in a televised question-and-answer show, Mr. Putin also admitted for the first time that Russian armed forces had been deployed in Crimea, the disputed peninsula Russia annexed last month immediately after a large majority of the population voted in a referendum to secede from Ukraine. But he dismissed suggestions that Russian troops were behind the unrest in eastern Ukraine. |
| Mr. Putin’s remarks on eastern Ukraine came as officials from Russia, the United States, Europe and the new government in Kiev were meeting in Geneva in four-way negotiations aimed at resolving the political crisis. | Mr. Putin’s remarks on eastern Ukraine came as officials from Russia, the United States, Europe and the new government in Kiev were meeting in Geneva in four-way negotiations aimed at resolving the political crisis. |
| If his bravado performance seemed out of sync with the diplomatic niceties in Geneva, it plainly underscored Mr. Putin’s unflinching views on Ukraine and his steadfast refusal to be pressured by the West. The tentative Geneva accord did not address Russia’s annexation of Crimea, nor did it require the Kremlin to withdraw troops massed on the Ukrainian border. | |
| In recent days, pro-Russian demonstrators have caused widespread unrest throughout the eastern part of the country, seizing police stations and other government buildings and forming roadblocks. There have been several outbursts of violence, including a firefight at a Ukrainian military base overnight in which at least three pro-Russian militiamen were killed. | |
| During the question-and-answer show, Mr. Putin asserted that he had the authority to invade Ukraine, but said he hoped that it would not be necessary. | |
| “I remind you that the Federation Council has given the president the right to use armed forces in Ukraine,” he said, referring to the upper house of Parliament. “I really hope that I do not have to exercise this right and that by political and diplomatic means we will be able to solve all of the sharp problems.” | “I remind you that the Federation Council has given the president the right to use armed forces in Ukraine,” he said, referring to the upper house of Parliament. “I really hope that I do not have to exercise this right and that by political and diplomatic means we will be able to solve all of the sharp problems.” |
| Mr. Putin’s use of the historical term “Novorossiya” or “New Russia” to refer to southeastern Ukraine, which he had not emphasized previously, suggested that he was replicating Russia’s assertions of historical ties to Crimea before the occupation and annexation of the peninsula. | Mr. Putin’s use of the historical term “Novorossiya” or “New Russia” to refer to southeastern Ukraine, which he had not emphasized previously, suggested that he was replicating Russia’s assertions of historical ties to Crimea before the occupation and annexation of the peninsula. |
| Novorossiya generally refers to a broad area, stretching from what is now the border of Moldova in the west to Donetsk in the east, including the port city of Odessa to the south and the industrial center of Dnepropetrovsk to the north. | Novorossiya generally refers to a broad area, stretching from what is now the border of Moldova in the west to Donetsk in the east, including the port city of Odessa to the south and the industrial center of Dnepropetrovsk to the north. |
| Mr. Putin’s question-and-answer show is an annual event that lasts for four hours and has become a ritual of sorts as he fields questions not only from a studio audience but from across Russia’s vast geographic expanse. | Mr. Putin’s question-and-answer show is an annual event that lasts for four hours and has become a ritual of sorts as he fields questions not only from a studio audience but from across Russia’s vast geographic expanse. |
| One of the most startling moments came not in an exchange with a Russian citizen but with a surprise appearance by Edward J. Snowden, the fugitive American who leaked a huge trove of highly classified documents related to electronic surveillance by the National Security Agency. | One of the most startling moments came not in an exchange with a Russian citizen but with a surprise appearance by Edward J. Snowden, the fugitive American who leaked a huge trove of highly classified documents related to electronic surveillance by the National Security Agency. |
| In a bold poke at the Obama White House, the Kremlin arranged for Mr. Snowden, a former N.S.A. contractor wanted on espionage charges, to appear on camera and ask Mr. Putin about Russia’s own surveillance practices. | In a bold poke at the Obama White House, the Kremlin arranged for Mr. Snowden, a former N.S.A. contractor wanted on espionage charges, to appear on camera and ask Mr. Putin about Russia’s own surveillance practices. |
| When told that there was a question from Mr. Snowden, Mr. Putin responded slyly, saying, “Well, how could we do without this?” | When told that there was a question from Mr. Snowden, Mr. Putin responded slyly, saying, “Well, how could we do without this?” |
| Mr. Snowden’s appearance as a prop during the tightly scripted show risked legitimizing criticism of him as a stooge of the Kremlin, which has allowed him to remain in the country since June. | Mr. Snowden’s appearance as a prop during the tightly scripted show risked legitimizing criticism of him as a stooge of the Kremlin, which has allowed him to remain in the country since June. |
| Supporters of Mr. Snowden, however, many writing on social networks, praised his courage in making the appearance, which they said demonstrated his willingness to challenge the use of illegal surveillance in Russia, much as he had in the United States. | Supporters of Mr. Snowden, however, many writing on social networks, praised his courage in making the appearance, which they said demonstrated his willingness to challenge the use of illegal surveillance in Russia, much as he had in the United States. |
| In his prerecorded appearance, Mr. Snowden said that he had seen “little discussion of Russia’s own involvement in the policies of mass surveillance.” | In his prerecorded appearance, Mr. Snowden said that he had seen “little discussion of Russia’s own involvement in the policies of mass surveillance.” |
| “So I’d like to ask you,” he continued, “does Russia intercept, store or analyze in any way the communications of millions of individuals?” | “So I’d like to ask you,” he continued, “does Russia intercept, store or analyze in any way the communications of millions of individuals?” |
| Mr. Putin, a one-time K.G.B. agent and former head of the Russian intelligence service, played up their common professional experience in spycraft. | Mr. Putin, a one-time K.G.B. agent and former head of the Russian intelligence service, played up their common professional experience in spycraft. |
| “Mr. Snowden, you are a former agent,” the president replied. “I used to work for an intelligence service. Let’s speak professionally.” | “Mr. Snowden, you are a former agent,” the president replied. “I used to work for an intelligence service. Let’s speak professionally.” |
| “Our intelligence efforts are strictly regulated by our law,” Mr. Putin said. “You have to get a court’s permission first.” He noted that terrorists use electronic communications and that Russia had to respond to that threat. | “Our intelligence efforts are strictly regulated by our law,” Mr. Putin said. “You have to get a court’s permission first.” He noted that terrorists use electronic communications and that Russia had to respond to that threat. |
| “Of course we do this,” Mr. Putin said. “But we don’t use this on such a massive scale and I hope that we won’t.” | “Of course we do this,” Mr. Putin said. “But we don’t use this on such a massive scale and I hope that we won’t.” |
| “But what is most important,” Mr. Putin concluded, “is that the special services, thank God, are under a strict control of the government and the society, and their activities are regulated by law.” | “But what is most important,” Mr. Putin concluded, “is that the special services, thank God, are under a strict control of the government and the society, and their activities are regulated by law.” |
| On the question of Ukraine, Mr. Putin repeated his assertions that Russia feels an obligation to protect ethnic Russians in eastern Ukraine who are a large minority in the region. | On the question of Ukraine, Mr. Putin repeated his assertions that Russia feels an obligation to protect ethnic Russians in eastern Ukraine who are a large minority in the region. |
| “We must do everything to help these people to protect their rights and independently determine their own destiny,” he said. | “We must do everything to help these people to protect their rights and independently determine their own destiny,” he said. |
| “Can a compromise be found on the Ukrainian question between Russia and America?” Mr. Putin asked. “Compromise should only be found in Ukraine,” he said. “The question is to ensure the rights and interests of the Russian southeast. It’s New Russia. Kharkiv, Lugansk, Donetsk, Odessa were not part of Ukraine in czarist times, they were transferred in 1920. Why? God knows. Then for various reasons these areas were gone, and the people stayed there — we need to encourage them to find a solution.” | “Can a compromise be found on the Ukrainian question between Russia and America?” Mr. Putin asked. “Compromise should only be found in Ukraine,” he said. “The question is to ensure the rights and interests of the Russian southeast. It’s New Russia. Kharkiv, Lugansk, Donetsk, Odessa were not part of Ukraine in czarist times, they were transferred in 1920. Why? God knows. Then for various reasons these areas were gone, and the people stayed there — we need to encourage them to find a solution.” |