Russia joined WW1 because it had to protect Serbia (Vladimir Putin)

MOSCOW -- The tragedy of the Great War is a reminder of the consequences of aggression, egotism, and excessive ambition taking precedence over common sense....

This is what Vladimir Putin said in Moscow on Friday during a ceremony to honor the First World War Heroes.
"Instead of guarding the safest continent in the world, Europe, they put it in danger,," the Russian leader said, Itar-Tass reported.

"We should not forget that today. We should learn to see at least one step ahead," he said, adding that "violence begets violence," while "a path to peace and prosperity rests on goodwill and dialogue, and memory and lessons of past wars. And about who and why started them."

"On the even of the First World War Russia did everything to resolve the conflict between Serbia and Austria-Hungary peacefully, without bloodshed. But Russia was not listened to. As a result Russia had to answer the challenge to defend the brotherly Slavic people," Putin said.
Sources: Tanjug  - B92
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***This tragedy reminds us what happens when aggression, selfishness and the unbridled ambitions of national leaders and political establishments push common sense aside, so that instead of preserving the world’s most prosperous continent, Europe, they lead it towards danger. It is worth remembering this today. 
World history gives us so many examples of what a terrible price we pay for refusing to listen to each other, or for trampling on others’ rights and freedoms and lawful interests in the name of our own interests and ambitions. It would be good if we could learn to open our eyes and to calculate at least a step ahead. 
It is long since time that humanity learned and accepted the single great truth that violence breeds violence. The road to peace and prosperity is built out of goodwill, dialogue, and the memory of our past wars, the people who started them and why.........http://eng.kremlin.ru/news/22756#sel=16:1,18:44
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