When will the war end? Putin's remarks on Ukraine: ''Without Western support...''
Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed that the current administration in Ukraine is illegitimate, suggesting that the war could end within a few months if Western countries were to cut off their financial support.
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As the war in Ukraine continues, Putin has made a statement regarding peace negotiations. Stating that the war could end in a short time without Western support, Putin claimed that the Zelensky government is not in a position to conduct negotiations and has lost its legitimacy.
Putin stated that it is not possible for them to sit at the table with the Kiev administration under current conditions. The Russian leader noted that due to the ongoing martial law in Ukraine, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky is not their counterpart.
However, Putin added that they could conduct negotiations with the Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament within the framework of Ukrainian laws.
Speaking on the 'Moscow. Kremlin. Putin' program broadcast on the Russia 1 channel, Putin made assessments regarding the Ukraine war.
WILL NEGOTIATIONS START AGAIN?
Putin said that Ukraine's political independence has significantly diminished and that external factors are decisive in the current government's decision-making processes. He argued that Zelensky cannot cancel his decree banning negotiations with Russia because he is not a legally legitimate leader.
The Russian leader stated that Moscow is ready for a possible negotiation process and noted the following:
'If Zelensky wants to negotiate, Russia can provide an appropriate delegation. However, there should be no room for even the slightest ambiguity in the final signing process of the agreements.'
Recalling the negotiations held in Istanbul in March 2022, the Russian President emphasized that the proposals submitted by Ukraine formed the basis of the prepared agreement. However, he claimed that the process was interrupted by the intervention of Western leaders.
Putin reported that in his meetings with some European heads of state on April 15, 2022, he was told that Ukraine could not sign a peace agreement while 'a gun was held to its temple.'
According to US President Donald Trump's claim, around 850 thousand Russian and 700 thousand Ukrainian soldiers have lost their lives in the war in Ukraine so far
REMINDER OF 'WE KEPT OUR WORD'
Reminding that Moscow withdrew its troops from Kiev 'as promised' as a result of the diplomatic talks held in 2022, Putin emphasized that the assurances given to Russia during the negotiations were later changed.
The Russian leader stated that the Russian army began to withdraw from around Kiev at the end of March 2022 and that the process was completed as of April 4.
The Russian leader stated that he does not ignore the risk that Moscow's commitments might not be fulfilled, as in the past. However, he stated that they withdrew their troops in line with the demands coming from Kiev at that time.
The Russian army, which had reached near Kiev at the beginning of the war, was forced to retreat due to logistical problems and Ukraine's counter-attacks. Within the framework of the negotiations conducted during the same period, the Moscow administration had abandoned some of the territories it had captured as a result of the negotiations