Russian President Putin: "We have never refused negotiations with Ukraine"

Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the G20 Summit hosted by India via video conference. Speaking at the summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin made statements regarding the Ukraine-Russia War. 

Putin said, "I would like to remind you that Russia has never refused peace talks with Ukraine. It was not Russia, but Ukraine that publicly announced its withdrawal from the negotiation process. Moreover, this was legalized by a decree signed by the President (Volodymyr Zelenskyy) that prohibits such negotiations with Russia."

Comparing the war in Ukraine with Israel's ongoing attacks on Palestine, Putin said, "I understand that this is a war, and the loss of life is shocking to everyone. Was the bloody coup in Ukraine in 2014 and the subsequent war waged by the Kiev regime against its own people in Donbas not also shocking? 

At the same time, is the destruction of the civilian population in Palestine and the Gaza Strip today not shocking? 

Is it not shocking that doctors are performing surgeries on children without anesthesia? Is it not shocking that the United Nations Secretary-General said that Gaza has turned into a huge graveyard for children?" he stated.

"WE ARE IN FAVOR OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION"

Stating that they are in favor of international cooperation and that the World Trade Organization should take on an active role again, Putin said, "Russia is in favor of restoring the spirit of open and mutually beneficial international economic cooperation based on UN norms and the principles of joint work based on mutual respect. 

It is important to effectively optimize the global economic governance system, that is, to fully reactivate the WTO, including its arbitration function. It is necessary to increase the role of developing economies in international financial institutions, including the IMF and the World Bank, and to use the resources of these institutions for the development of countries and regions that are truly in need, rather than for opportunistic political purposes," he said.

Criticizing the economic policies of Western states after the coronavirus pandemic, Putin added that the ongoing global economic crisis was not caused by the war Russia started in Ukraine, but by the embargoes and misguided economic programs of other countries.

"EXPLOSIONS IN PIPELINES ARE STATE TERRORISM"

Implicitly holding Ukraine and Western countries responsible for the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines, Putin said, "Unfair competitive methods are being used to eliminate rivals and gain an advantage.

I am referring specifically to acts of state terrorism, not just the destruction of transport and logistics chains and international settlement channels. The Nord Stream Natural Gas Pipeline laid on the bottom of the Baltic Sea is a clear example of this," he said.

Emphasizing that Russia fulfills its responsibilities regarding energy and food, Putin said, "There is increasing turbulence in the markets, chronic problems in the international financial sector, and a deterioration in the field of energy and food security. In the meantime, of course, Russia is fulfilling all its obligations in this area and continues to be one of the largest food exporters," he said.