The Kremlin says President Vladimir Putin’s remarks about the capability of taking Kiev in two weeks was taken out of the context and had a very different meaning.
“It was taken out of the context and had a very different meaning,” presidential aide Yuri Ushakov told the media on Tuesday.
Earlier, media reports quoted the head of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso mentioning his telephone conversation with Putin. In that conversation Putin allegedly said that Russian troops would be able to take Kiev within short deadlines.
Ushakov said the very instance the head of the European commission may have disclosed the details of telephone conversations is “incorrect and goes beyond the bounds of diplomatic practices.”
“If that was really done, it looks not worthy of a serious political figure,” Ushakov said. “Irrespective of whether these words were pronounced or not, this quote was taken out of context and had a very different meaning.”