By Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Russia’s readiness to engage in peace talks with Ukraine, reversing his previous stance that the Ukrainian incursion in Kursk made negotiations impossible. Putin made these remarks at a forum in Vladivostok on Thursday.
Putin suggested that the agreement outlined during earlier peace talks in Istanbul, which was never implemented, could serve as a foundation for a new truce. “Are we ready to negotiate with them? We have never refused to do so, but not on the basis of some ephemeral demands, but on the basis of those documents that were agreed and actually initialled in Istanbul,” Putin stated.
The Russian leader proposed that fellow BRICS members China, Brazil, and India could act as mediators in potential negotiations. Russia currently chairs this group of emerging economies, which also includes South Africa.
In a significant shift, Putin also declared that Russia’s primary objective in Ukraine is to fully control the Donbas region. This statement marks another reframing of Russia’s goals since the invasion began in February 2022.
Addressing the recent Ukrainian advances into Russia’s Kursk region, Putin claimed that Moscow’s forces were “gradually” pushing them back. He characterized the Ukrainian operation in Kursk as an attempt to “force us to worry, hustle, divert troops and to stop our offensive in key areas, especially in the Donbas, the liberation of which is our main primary objective.”
Putin’s comments come amid ongoing international concern about the conflict, including the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief has reported that one of the plant’s towers requires demolition, highlighting the ongoing risks associated with the war’s impact on critical infrastructure.
These developments suggest a potential shift in Russia’s approach to the conflict, though it remains to be seen how these statements will translate into action on the ground or in diplomatic channels.
Source: dw.com
