Anger as Salmond fails to apologise for praising Putin

ALEX Salmond has failed to apologise for praising Vladimir Putin in a letter Ukrainian community leaders have dismissed as ‘tardy’.

In an interview with GQ magazine, the First Minister said he ‘admired’ the Russian leader for restoring pride in his country – at a time when 100,000 Russian troops were massing at Ukraine’s border.

In Scotland, Ukrainians demanded an ‘unequivocal public apology’, but in a written reply, Mr Salmond chose to blame others by claiming his quotes had been taken out of context.

He managed to offend them further by referring to ‘the Ukraine’, which is considered offensive.

However, community representatives still plan to meet the SNP leader to challenge his claims of standing up to Putin.

In response to Mr Salmond’s letter, Ukrainian community leader Michael Ostapko told the BBC: ‘We asked that he make an unequivocal public apology. He has not done so.

‘Instead we received a standard, somewhat tardy explanation strewn with political party rhetoric and little on the only matter we raised from his GQ interview; the praise of Putin the architect of the dismantling of a nation, Ukraine ( not “the Ukraine”, an offensive description to Ukrainians).’

Mr Ostapko also has concerns about the actions of the Scottish Government in response to the Ukrainian crisis and says he will raise them with the First Minister when they meet.

In his letter, Mr Salmond said he condemned ‘ the illegal annexation of the Crimea’ and some comments were reported ‘out of context’.

He wrote: ‘As I made clear in the interview, and elsewhere, I disapprove of a range of Russian actions. Indeed, I have had no hesitation in condemning Russia’s activities in t he Ukraine, the illegal annexation of the Crimea and its continued support for armed militia in the east of the country.

‘The Scottish Government has also consistently raised and opposed the Russian govern- ment’s stance on human rights, freedom of expression and homosexuality.’

The First Minister concluded: ‘I would be very happy to visit the Ukrainian Community Centre to meet with yourself and others in due course.’

When the GQ interview was published, Mr Ostapko said he had been ‘overwhelmed’ by the reaction of Ukrainians to Mr Salmond’s comments, adding: ‘They are variously insulted, dismayed and upset.’

Scottish Lib Dem l eader Willie Rennie MSP said: ‘Alex Salmond remains obstinate in the face of almost universal criticism. There is little point in meeting the Ukraine community unless he provides that reasonable request from them – an apology.’ A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘ The First Minister has offered to meet with Mr Ostapko and others and looks forward to visiting the Ukrainian Community Centre soon.’