Editor's Note: The following is an unofficial English-language transcript of remarks made by Russian President Vladimir Putin on the July 17 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, killing all 298 people aboard. The video was posted on the president's website at 1:40 a.m. on July 21.
Here is the text of the speech in Russian
In connection with the terrible tragic events that occurred in the skies over Donetsk, I would like to say once again what the attitude we in Russia have to events that are taking place in Ukraine.
We have repeatedly called on all warring parties to immediately stop the bloodshed and to sit down at the negotiating table. We can confidently say that if June 28 fighting in eastern Ukraine were not renewed, then this tragedy would not have happened for sure.
However, no one should not have the right to use this tragedy to achieve selfish political objectives. Such events should not divide but unite people. It is necessary that all the people who are responsible for the situation in the region improved their responsibility to their own people and to the peoples of those countries whose representatives have been victims of this disaster.
It’s necessary to do everything to ensure the safety of international experts on the scene. Today there are already working representatives of Donbass, Donetsk, representatives of Ministry of Ukraine, experts from Malaysia. But this is not enough.
It’s necessary that a full team of experts under the auspices of ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) , the corresponding international commission, could work at the crash site. We must do everything to ensure its full and absolute security, ensure necessary for its operation humanitarian corridors.
For its part, Russia will do all that we can to the conflict in eastern Ukraine moved from today’s military phase to the phase of discussing at the negotiating table by exclusively peaceful and diplomatic means.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s address on the July 17 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17
