I don't see it that way, people were worried that Putin would announce war or an invasion or recognize the independence of the "Donetsk" republics.
He did none of that. His speech was short (by Russian standards) and focused almost exclusively on domestic issues.
What he said on foreign policy is the same kind of diplomatic wording the Russians have been using for decades, so nothing to see here.
According to analysts, the odds of any kind of invasion of Ukraine is rapidly disappearing.
To me it is a big smoke screen, while everyone is focused on Ukraine, no one is reporting that Russia is solidifying its control over Belarus...
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