Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday stated that he is ready to meet Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky if the talks are “well prepared,” adding that the meeting could take place in Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (Photo Credits: ANI)
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said he is ready to meet Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky if the talks are “well prepared,” adding that the meeting could take place in Moscow.
“If meeting with Zelensky is well prepared, then I’m ready to meet,” Putin said, according to media reports. “Let Zelensky come to Moscow and the meeting will happen.”
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Speaking to reporters in Beijing, Putin expressed optimism, saying there is “a light at the end of the tunnel,” but warned that if diplomacy fails, Russia will resolve its objectives militarily.
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Putin, speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin on Monday, said the Ukraine war can only end if its root causes are addressed.
He blamed the West for trying to pull Ukraine into NATO, calling it one of the main triggers of the conflict. According to him, the crisis did not start with Russia’s “invasion” but with a coup in Kyiv backed by Western countries. Putin added that no nation should build its security by harming another’s.
The Russian leader praised India and China for their attempts to mediate and said he discussed the Ukraine issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders.
Putin also referred to his meeting with US President Donald Trump in Alaska last month, saying the agreements made there could help pave the way for peace in Ukraine. He plans to share more details of that meeting with other world leaders during the SCO summit.
Reaffirming Russia’s stance, Putin said the UN principles — especially respect for national sovereignty — remain “valid and unshakable.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Putin on Monday had agreed to strengthen economic ties and ways to deepen bilateral cooperation in all sectors, including trade, fertilizers, space, security, and culture.
The two leaders had held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China, where they had discussed regional and global issues, including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and the US tariffs.
The meeting between PM Modi and President Putin had come at a time when India is facing pressure from the US administration to reduce its purchase of Russian crude oil.
The US has imposed steep tariffs on Indian exports, partly in response to New Delhi’s continued import of Russian crude. Despite this pressure, India and Russia have been strengthening their bilateral ties, with PM Modi and President Putin discussing ways to expand their energy cooperation and trade relations.
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