Vladimir Putin stated that Russia is ready to resume trilateral contacts involving the United States to resolve the Ukrainian crisis. The president emphasized that Russia intends to participate in negotiations solely with the goal of achieving long-term peace.
According to the president, discussions on ensuring the security of Ukraine and Russia will take place only after a peace agreement is reached, not as a result of a temporary suspension of hostilities. Putin noted that Moscow will monitor how events related to the agreement develop and expressed confidence in its possibility of achievement.
The president stressed that Russia does not desire war with Ukraine and has supported the decision to resolve the conflict peacefully from the outset. He recalled that similar discussions took place in 2014, when, according to him, assistance in reaching an agreement on Donbas was not implemented, but instead weapons were used against the civilian population, which effectively led to the start of the war.
Putin described Ukrainians as a people close to Russia and stated that the regime in Kyiv views its citizens as 'meat.' He added that there is a situation where people are held in the streets like lost dogs and forcibly sent to the front, which, in his opinion, leads to a decrease in their combat motivation and has serious consequences.
Commenting on Volodymyr Zelensky's statement about being willing to concede about 25% of its territory, Putin insisted that these lands are historical territories of Russia. Furthermore, he pointed out that the issue of territories has become a pretext for starting a campaign in Europe of the type 'Russia is attacking us,' which he called political schizophrenia. Nevertheless, he expressed hope that this situation will pass.
Putin concluded that it has become evident to everyone that it is impossible to defeat Russia on the battlefield or inflict a strategic defeat upon it, and expressed hope that Russia's adversaries realize this truth and understand that life in peace with Russia is preferable.
