From effective and correct to bacillus and infection. How Putin’s words about nationalism have changed
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Vladimir Putin spoke about nationalism even before the start of the war in Ukraine. He referred to the term quite often throughout his presidency. But the context and tone in relation to him changed.
In 2005, during negotiations on the gas issue, Putin called on the Ukrainian side to “stop scaring each other with nationalists.” In 2014, Putin called himself “the biggest nationalist in Russia”, emphasizing that he is a “correct” nationalist.
About the President of Ukraine in 2019, he said the following: “Mr. Zelensky, of course, does not look like a Ukrainian nationalist.” Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the rhetoric against Ukrainian nationalists has become tougher.
The BBC has compiled the top quotes.
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