Putin says unification of Russia and Ukraine is inevitable

The spiritual reunification of Russia and Ukraine is inevitable.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said this during his speech at the World Youth Festival.
"I am sure that thanks to people like you, as I said, sooner or later, at least on the spiritual level, unification will happen. This is inevitable," Putin said at the meeting with the participants of the festival.
Putin stressed that it is necessary to eradicate everything that prevents this: "This is prevented by the most disgusting manifestations of nationalism. This is a disaster that poisons the lives of many peoples, including Ukraine today."
He referring to the large number of flashpoints in the world, said that any war and any hostilities are a tragedy.
"Yes, indeed, the situation is difficult, there are many problems and many flashpoints," he told.
"Here, we have a conflict with our neighbors nearby. Hostilities are underway. Could it be more problematic?" Putin continued. "This is always a tragedy when people fight each other. People die, after all, they get injured and so on," he added.
Putin has lambasted the West’s double standards in regard to conflicts around the world.
Putin recalled at a meeting with participants of the World Youth Festival that the United States took action in Iraq, Syria, and former Yugoslavia without the UN Security Council’s approval.
"Well, if they have permission, why are not other countries allowed to protect their vital interests in the same manner?" he asked rhetorically.
The Russian president told the meeting how the West justified its bombardment of Yugoslavia.
"My counterparts used to tell me repeatedly, ‘Well, yes, we did it without the UN Security Council’s resolutions.’ But the war had been raging there for so many years. Eight years of bloodshed in Donbass! Something had to be done!" Putin recounted the words of his counterparts.