Vladimir Putin - Speech on Feb. 21, 2022 recognizing Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republic and NATO's treachery

Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a speech broadcast nationwide in Russia on February 21, 2022 that explained why he recognized the Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic as independent countries, and the treachery of NATO for not abiding by its verbal assurances to then Soviet Premier Gorbachev that it would not expand east, resulted in the possible NATO membership of Ukraine which would be an existential national threat to Russia.