In an interview with Russian state media Rossiya 1 on Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated that Russia is “ready to negotiate with everyone involved about acceptable solutions” concerning the Ukraine war.
“We are not the ones refusing to negotiate, they are,” he stated.
Vladimir Putin says the West left Moscow no choice but to defend its country's interest and people. The President added that Russia has always showed a willingness to talk peace, but that all such attempts have been blocked by Moscow's opponents. pic.twitter.com/7Gmyf8RFXz
— RT (@RT_com) December 26, 2022
Putin also alleged that Russia’s “geopolitical opponents [were] aiming to tear apart Russia, the historical Russia.” “Divide and conquer, that’s what they have always sought to accomplish and are still seeking to do,” he opined, adding, “But our goal is different: it’s to unite the Russian people.”
He further noted that Moscow has “no other choice but to protect our citizens,” adding that he believed the Kremlin was “acting in the right direction.” “We are defending our national interests, the interests of our citizens, our people,” he remarked.
Putin affirmed that 99.9% of our citizens are ready to “give everything for the interests of the Motherland.” “This just once again convinces me that Russia is a unique country and that we have an exceptional people. This has been confirmed throughout the history of Russia’s existence,” he stressed.
Motherland a.k.a Vladimir Putin https://t.co/a7QGuqswXF
— Anton Barbashin (@ABarbashin) December 25, 2022
Moreover, he ascertained that the conflict with the West is not “so dangerous,” saying that the problem began in 2014 when the West toppled the pro-Russian Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych during the Euromaidan protests. Subsequently, Russia annexed Crimea and Russian-backed separatists began fighting in eastern Ukraine.
Putin made the remarks two days after he emphasised that the Kremlin is not interested in prolonging the Ukraine war and is seeking a diplomatic solution to end the “war.” Reportedly referring to the conflict as a war for the first time since his troops marched into Ukraine on 24 February, Putin told reporters, “Our goal is not to spin the flywheel of military conflict, but, on the contrary, to end this war,” adding that Moscow will “strive” to halt hostilities as soon as possible.
Noting that the “intensification of hostilities leads to unjustified losses,” Putin stressed that he would seek a diplomatic solution to the crisis in Ukraine.
If #Russia genuinely wants peace, here's a good way to start a negotiation:
— Dr. Malcolm Davis (@Dr_M_Davis) December 25, 2022
1) Russia withdraws all its forces to 1991 borders
2) Russia accepts immediate Ukraine membership status for NATO and the EU
3) Russia pays appropriate war reparations to Ukraine.
Then we talk.
However, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin declared that though Russia is willing to negotiate, “we are not going to talk under preconditions, put forth by the Kyiv authorities.” It was in reference to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s recent peace proposal, wherein Kyiv listed 10 conditions for a “just peace,” including the withdrawal of all Russian forces from Ukrainian territories.
In this respect, Galuzin highlighted, “The total inadequacy of decisions and actions of the current Kyiv regime, whose politicians are notorious for their carelessness, inability to negotiate and blatant Russophobia, is obvious,” adding that “everything now depends exclusively on the readiness of Kyiv and its Western puppeteers.”
This is how Christmas Eve looks like in Kherson today. russians attacked the market, mall, apartment buildings - Al the “important military targets”.
— Margo Gontar 🇺🇦 (@MargoGontar) December 24, 2022
7 people killed, 58 injured, 18 - in critical condition.
🎥, source: head of Kherson regional military administration pic.twitter.com/sc5xpbmW5c
Despite Putin’s comments about negotiations, Russian forces continued to bombard Ukraine over the weekend, with a nationwide air raid alert declared twice on Sunday alone, with three missiles striking the city of Kramatorsk in Donetsk.
Additionally, Kherson’s Ukrainian governor Yaroslav Yanushevich revealed on Sunday that Russian troops attacked the areas retaken by Ukraine last month 71 times on Saturday, including 41 attacks on the southern city of Kherson. He said 16 people were killed, including three emergency workers who were trying to demine the Berislav district, and left 64 injured.
Putin needs to come back to reality.
— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) December 25, 2022
1. Russia single-handedly attacked Ukraine and is killing citizens. There are no other "countries, motives, geopolitics"
2. Russia doesn’t want negotiations, but tries to avoid responsibility. This is obvious, so we are moving to the Tribunal.
In contrast, Kherson’s Russian governor, Vladimir Saldo, said that the attack was “a disgusting provocation” by Ukraine, which it used to blame Russia.
Referring to the weekend attacks, Zelensky vowed that the Ukrainian forces will “find every Russian murderer” during his nightly address on Sunday. “Russia lost everything it could this year. But it is trying to compensate for its losses with the gloating of its propagandists after the missile strikes at our country, at our energy sector,” he noted further, claiming that the next few days may become “dark and difficult.”