 "Putin calls Ukrainian leadership 'illegitimate', says peace deal ‘senseless’ under Zelenskyy govt")
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday asserted that Ukraine’s current leadership lacks legitimacy and argued that there is no point in entering into any agreements with it.
Putin claimed that the authorities in Kyiv lost their mandate after opting not to hold elections following the end of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s term. Ukraine maintains that nationwide polls cannot be conducted under martial law while the country continues to defend itself against Russia.
Putin: Text could guide peace
President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that the outlines of a draft peace plan discussed by the United States and Ukraine could become the basis of future agreements to end the conflict in Ukraine but that if not then Russia would continue to fight.
“In general, we agree that this can be the basis for future agreements,” Putin said, adding that the variant of the plan discussed by the United States and Ukraine in Geneva had been passed to Russia.
Putin said that the United States was taking into account Russia’s position but that some things still need to be discussed. He said that if Europe wanted a pledge not to attack it, then Russia was willing to give such a pledge.
Russia, Putin said, was still being told it should cease the fighting.
“Ukrainian troops must withdraw from the territories they hold, and then the fighting will cease. If they don’t leave, then we shall achieve this by armed means. That’s it,” Putin said. Russian forces, he said, were advancing in Ukraine at a faster pace.
Putin said that he considered the Ukrainian leadership to be illegitimate and so it was legally impossible to sign a deal with Ukraine, so it was important to ensure any agreement was recognised by the international community and that the international community recognised Russian gains in Ukraine.
Quick Reads
View AllPutin rejected the suggestion that U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff had shown himself to be biased towards Moscow in peace talks over Ukraine, describing it as nonsense.
Italy: Putin’s peace intent imminent
Italy’s defence minister said on Thursday that it will become clear in the next weeks if Russian President Vladimir Putin has any interest in making peace with Ukraine, and that the war was costing Russia dearly, despite its increase in defence spending.
Guido Crosetto, a co-founder of right-wing premier Giorgia Meloni’s ruling party, also said European countries should not ignore the importance of Russia, as well as Ukraine, moving away from a war economy to normal activity once the conflict ends.
The United States has put forward an updated version of its plan to halt the deadliest fighting in Europe since World War II after the initial blueprint alarmed both Kyiv and European allies who feared it reflected maximalist Russian demands.
Moscow has said that the ongoing talks on the plan were “serious” but European leaders have expressed scepticism, with French President Emmanuel Macron saying there was “clearly no Russian willingness” to agree a ceasefire.
“I don’t know what Putin has in mind,” Crosetto told reporters at the Italian embassy in Paris after meeting his French counterpart Catherine Vautrin.
“We hope that this time Russia will truly want to sit down at the table and negotiate. Looking at what’s happening, I’m not optimistic,” he said, noting that Russia was still recruiting troops and boosting defence investment.
But he added: “Russia is paying for this war domestically, with a decline in its GDP, its wealth.
“We’ll see in the coming weeks – it won’t take long to understand – whether Putin has a real intention” to make peace, he said.
He also cautioned that Europe, as well as helping Ukraine rebuild, should not turn a blind eye to Russia’s post-war transition or else risk a resumption of conflict.
Russia: Ceasefire needs pullout
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Moscow would end its Ukraine offensive if Kyiv withdrew from territory Moscow claims at its own – otherwise they would take it by force.
The Russian army has been slowly but steadily grinding through eastern Ukraine in costly battles against outnumbered and outgunned Ukrainian forces.
Washington has meanwhile renewed its push to end the nearly four-year war, putting forward a surprise plan that it hopes to finalise through upcoming talks with Moscow and Kyiv.
“If Ukrainian forces leave the territories they hold, then we will stop combat operations,” Putin said during a visit to Kyrgyzstan. “If they don’t, then we will achieve it by military means."
Russia controls around one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory. The issue of occupied land, which Kyiv has said it will never cede, has become the key stumbling block in the peace process.
Putin repeated the claim that Russia had encircled the Ukrainian army in Pokrovsk and Myrnograd in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region – the most fiercly embattled area and a key target for Moscow’s forces.
"Krasnoarmeysk and Dimitrov are completely surrounded,” he said, using the Russian names for the cities.
Moscow was also advancing in Vovchansk and Siversk, as well as approaching the important logistic hub of Guliaipole, he added.
With inputs from agencies
 "How Asim Munir has become Pakistan’s most powerful army chief ever")
 "At least 75 killed, over 70 injured in Hong Kong’s deadliest blaze in decades")
 "South Africa condemns Trump’s G20 ban, calls US measures 'punitive'")
 "Three decades after scrapping conscription, France unveils voluntary military service for youth")
 "How Asim Munir has become Pakistan’s most powerful army chief ever")
 "At least 75 killed, over 70 injured in Hong Kong’s deadliest blaze in decades")
 "South Africa condemns Trump’s G20 ban, calls US measures 'punitive'")
 "Three decades after scrapping conscription, France unveils voluntary military service for youth")
