President Vladimir Putin stated in an interview televised on December 25 that Russia is willing to discuss with all parties involved in the conflict in Ukraine, but Kyiv and its Western allies have refused to participate.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24 precipitated the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II and the most significant confrontation between Moscow and the West since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.
There is currently no clear end in sight for the war.
The Kremlin asserts that it will fight until all of its objectives are attained, whilst Kyiv asserts that it will not rest until every Russian soldier is expelled from all of Ukraine’s land, including the 2014-annexed Crimea.
In an interview published this month, CIA Director William Burns stated that while most hostilities are resolved by negotiations, Russia is not yet serious about a genuine discussion to end the war.
A consultant for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated that Putin must return to reality and recognize that it is Russia that does not wish to negotiate.
Mykhailo Podolyak wrote on Twitter, “Russia attacked Ukraine unilaterally and is slaughtering Ukrainians.” Russia does not desire dialogue, but evades responsibility.
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Putin stated that Russia was behaving “properly” in Ukraine because the West, led by the United States, was attempting to divide Russia. Washington denies plotting the demise of Russia.
“I feel we are moving in the correct route; we are defending our national interests, as well as those of our citizens and people.” Putin stated that we have no choice except to safeguard our citizens.
Putin said, “I don’t think it’s so bad” when asked if the geopolitical battle with the West was reaching a perilous level.
Putin stated that the West initiated the war in Ukraine by deposing a pro-Russian president during the Maidan Revolution in 2014.
Soon after this revolution, Russia grabbed Crimea from Ukraine and rebel groups backed by Russia began fighting the Ukrainian military in eastern Ukraine.
Putin stated, “The basic issue here is our geopolitical adversaries’ approach aimed at tearing Russia, historical Russia, apart.”
Putin portrays what he terms a “special military operation” in Ukraine as a watershed event in which Moscow finally faced up to a Western bloc that, according to him, has been attempting to destroy Russia since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Ukraine and the West assert that Putin has no legitimacy for the imperial-style occupation war that has sowed misery and death throughout Ukraine.
Putin referred to Russia as a “special country” and stated that the vast majority of its citizens shared a desire to defend it.
Putin stated, “As for the majority – the 99.9% of our population, our people who are willing to sacrifice everything for the interests of the Motherland – I see nothing extraordinary here.”
“This proves to me once again that Russia is a unique country inhabited by remarkable people. This has been demonstrated throughout the life of Russia.”
