Putin: If Ukrainian troops withdraw, the fighting will stop
Russian President Vladimir Putin held a press conference at the end of his visit to Kyrgyzstan. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
He shared his views on the Russia–Ukraine conflict, the peace concept proposed by the United States, and other pressing issues. Below are the main statements in essence.
Putin emphasized that there is no prepared document regarding the "peace agreement." The United States presented a list of 28 proposals, but this document is not the final draft of an agreement.
The president stated that these points could serve as a basis for negotiations. The Russian president indicated that the main condition for stopping the fighting is the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the occupied territories.
"If they withdraw, the fighting will stop. If they do not, we will be forced to continue by military means," he said.
Regarding the status of the territories and international legal recognition, Putin stressed the importance of negotiations with the United States. According to him, the recognition of territories under Russian sovereignty is a crucial issue.
Putin firmly stated that Russia has no aggressive plans towards Europe. "We consider such claims unfounded and false," he said.
He expressed readiness to officially confirm this position in a document if necessary. On the issue of returning to the G7 group, the president said that currently no country is inviting Russia back to this group.
He noted that such meetings might not bring practical benefits. Regarding the seizure of Russian assets, Putin emphasized that this action negatively affects the European economic system and the global financial market.
The Russian government is developing special response measures for such situations, he announced. The president denied rumors about Sergey Lavrov's activities and said that he is fully performing his duties.
He also stressed that negotiations with the US representative are proceeding as usual, without pressure. Speaking about the Ukrainian leadership, Putin accused the Ukrainian president of avoiding elections and cited Russia's successful conduct of elections despite difficult military conditions as an example.
He described sanctions against the companies "Lukoil" and "Rosneft" as incomprehensible. Putin, who said there was no conflict observed in Geneva, expressed surprise at the imposition of sanctions.
Addressing the situation on the battlefield, Putin announced that Russian troops continue to advance in all directions, the number of recaptured territories is increasing, and the pace of military operations is accelerating.
