Putin: Negotiating with Ukraine Now Would Not Be Legitimate
Putin: Negotiating with Ukraine Now Would Not Be Legitimate
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had banned negotiations with Russia, emphasizing, "If we start negotiations now, it will not be legitimate."
Speaking to the Russian state broadcaster Rossiya-24 about the situation in Ukraine, Putin recalled that negotiations with the Ukrainian side began right after the start of the "special military operation."
"At the beginning, we told the Ukrainian leadership that the people in Donetsk and Luhansk did not want to be part of Ukraine and that everything would end there if they left these regions," Putin said.
He stressed that if Ukraine had withdrawn from these regions, there would have been no conflict, adding, "Kiev decided to go to war."
Putin also stated that during negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul in 2022, a draft agreement was reached. "Although this document contained some contentious elements, I still agreed to put it into effect. On the evening of April 15 or the morning of April 16, we informed the Ukrainian side that we were ready to sign it," he said.
Putin recalled that when the Russian army advanced near Kiev, some European leaders spoke to him. "They said Ukraine could not sign a peace agreement while weapons were pointed at it near its capital. It is possible that this was a deception, but based on the idea of preventing bloodshed and a war, we still agreed to withdraw our troops," he explained.
Possible Negotiations
Regarding potential negotiations with Ukraine, Putin pointed out a legal issue: "The leader of the regime in Ukraine signed a decree banning negotiations. Now, since he is no longer a legitimate leader, he cannot revoke this decree. If we start negotiations now, it will not be legitimate."
Putin emphasized that Russia is open to talks with anyone from Ukraine, but Zelensky would not be able to sign any documents. "If there is a desire for negotiations, legal issues can be resolved. However, we do not see such willingness," he stated.
He also argued that the war would end without Western support, saying, "If the flow of money and ammunition stops, they won’t last even a month."
Finally, Putin underlined that any potential negotiation outcome must ensure security for both Ukraine and Russia.