Russia’s President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that the Ukrainian military counter-offensive launched in the summer had not achieved results and assured that the Kiev army had suffered “huge losses” during these operations in recent months.
“They announced that they envisioned the defeat of Russia and victory on the battlefield, the strategic defeat of Russia. Hostilities began, the announced counter-offensive, which has continued since June 4. However, there are no results, rather huge losses. “Putin emphasized that these losses on the ground by Ukrainian forces are “simply enormous.”
In an interview with state broadcaster China Media Corporation, Putin accused the Ukrainian side of definitively endangering the negotiations that took place in the Turkish city of Istanbul in the spring of 2022.
“We have never opposed the effort to peacefully end this conflict. We even agreed in Istanbul that we were prepared for this, guaranteeing Russia’s legitimate interests in security.”he said.
“The Ukrainian side drew up a very precise plan to guarantee security and we practically agreed with it, but shortly after the withdrawal of our troops from the capital of Ukraine, Kiev, the Ukrainian side tore up these agreements. They were even signed by the Ukrainian side. heads of the negotiators of the parties, not on the agreement itself, but on a memorandum of those agreements”said Putin.
In the same statements to the Chinese broadcaster, the Russian head of state said he was aware of Beijing’s diplomatic initiatives and expressed his “gratitude for these suggestions.”
“I think they are very realistic, and that they can be used as a basis for a peace agreement. Unfortunately, the other side has no intention of entering into negotiations. And the President of Ukraine also issued a decree banning the holding of peace negotiations with us. “he said.
“How can you negotiate if they don’t want to, when they’ve even taken legislative action to ban it?”he continued, before emphasizing that “If Ukraine chooses a different route, it will have to suspend this decree and express its willingness to negotiate. We are prepared”.
On the occasion of the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022, Chinese diplomacy released a 12-point document proposing a political solution to the Ukrainian crisis.
While still speaking to the Chinese broadcaster, Putin revealed that Russian troops are engaged in “active defense” and have strengthened their positions along the entire line of contact.
The Russian military offensive on Ukrainian territory, launched on February 24 last year, plunged Europe into what is considered the worst security crisis since World War II (1939-1945).
Ukraine’s Western allies have supplied weapons to Kiev and approved successive sanctions packages against Russian interests to try to reduce Moscow’s ability to finance the war effort.
Source: DN
