Putin demanded that troops leave disputed territory, refused negotiations with Kyiv, and deemed the Ukrainian government to be illegitimate. He insisted that Ukraine be excluded from NATO while the conflict rages and described Trump’s peace proposals as flexible.
Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, declared on Thursday that the present Ukrainian government lacks legitimacy and that Moscow should not sign any deals with the leadership of Kyiv.
Putin said that by refusing to hold elections after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s term ended, the Ukrainian government had squandered its power. However, Ukraine claims that this is not feasible under martial law while the nation battles off Russia’s invasion.
Speaking at the end of a three-day visit to Kyrgyzstan, Putin characterized US President Donald Trump’s proposed peace proposal as a set of concepts that could be negotiated rather than a final agreement. Although “every word matters” and many areas still need serious examination, he added it might serve as the basis for future discussions.
Putin reaffirmed that Russia would only put an end to hostilities if Ukrainian forces left all of the areas Moscow claims, including currently Ukrainian-controlled areas of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia.
Military action will cease if Ukraine’s army withdraw from the occupied territories. We will use armed force if they refuse to go,” he declared.
He cautioned that Russia would try to take those areas by force if Ukraine refused. Additionally, he asked that Ukraine be prohibited from hosting Western troops or joining NATO, both of which he believes are necessary for any long-term resolution.
The Russian leader’s comments coincide with US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll’s potential trip to Kyiv and US special envoy Steve Witkoff’s plans to visit Moscow next week. The most catastrophic armed conflict in Europe since World War II is still being fueled by Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
