Vladimir Putin asks Zelensky to lift ban on talks between Russia and Ukraine as first step towards dialogue
Russian President Putin urges Ukraine to withdraw its ban on talks with Russia as a first step towards dialogue.
As a first step towards dialogue, Ukraine must cancel the ban on negotiations imposed by President Zelensky, said Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) on Tuesday.
The Russian President made it clear that Ukraine needs to cancel the ban on negotiations imposed by a drecree of the Ukranian President by which he prohibited himself and all others from conducting negotiations, reported TASS, a Russian state-owned news agency. The EEF is being hosted by Vladivostok from September 10-13.
“If the United States thinks that Ukraine is ready for talks, let them cancel the ban on negotiations imposed by a decree of the Ukrainian President by which he prohibited himself and all others from conducting negotiations. So, Blinken says they are ready. Very well, then, let them cancel that decree for starters," the Russian President said, reported TASS.
"Let them do so if there is a sincere wish to achieve something through the negotiating process, let the Ukrainians themselves make another public declaration that they are now willing [to engage in talks]. I don’t see anything here that would somehow impair their image," Putin added.
'We have long been saying that we want talks,' says Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin also underlined that Ukraine is incurring heavy losses in manpower and equipment during its lacklusture counteroffensive.
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The Kiev regime “is seeking, as their Western patrons are prompting them to, to bite off as much territory as possible,” said the Russian President.
He also said that once all off their resources-in manpower, equipment, and ammunition, are depleted to zero, they would seek an end to hostilities.
"Well, we have long been saying that we want talks,’ but would engage in talks merely in order to [buy time to] replenish their reserves and reinvigorate their army," Putin said, surmising that this approach could be one of the options in Ukraine’s playbook.
Vladimir Putin's statement found resemblance with those made by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Sunday. He also said that Russia is not against negotiations to end the Ukraine, but this should take into account “the realities on the ground” and also the reasons accumulating due to “NATO's aggressive policy”.
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Business NewsNewsWorldVladimir Putin asks Zelensky to lift ban on talks between Russia and Ukraine as first step towards dialogue
First Published:12 Sep 2023, 08:58 PM IST
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