Amid fears Russia will invade Ukraine, Putin points finger at U.S. and NATO in marathon news conference

MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a marathon news conference Thursday, blamed the West for tensions on the Ukraine border and fears of war, but stopped short of issuing any pronouncements likely to drive further escalation.

One of his most prominent television appearances of the year, the annual conference, which lasted about four hours, was an opportunity for him to convince Russians that Kyiv’s westward turn is an urgent security threat to Moscow — one that could justify military action. It wasn’t just Russia watching closely: Western officials monitored the event to glean how Putin would present Russia’s saber-rattling and for hints at his intentions.