At a recent meeting with Russian municipal heads, President Vladimir Putin expressed his frustration over Ukraine's refusal to engage in peace negotiations. He criticized the Ukrainian stance, claiming that if Ukraine had been more cooperative, the ongoing conflict would have ended long ago.
This is reported by Ukrainian Pravda.
Unfulfilled Agreements and Missed Opportunities
Putin recalled the Istanbul negotiations, where, according to him, Ukraine had initially agreed to terms, even going as far as having the head of their negotiating group sign a document.
He lamented that despite Russia's gesture of withdrawing troops from Kyiv as a peace overture, Ukraine allegedly disregarded the agreements the very next day. This action, in Putin's view, effectively threw all the arrangements into the trash.
External Influences and Accusations
The Russian president also brought up former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, accusing him of overturning agreements with Russia.
Putin mocked the Western approach, quoting Johnson's statement that an agreement would have resolved the conflict a year and a half ago.
Zelenskyy’s Peace Formula and Putin’s Response
Putin addressed President Zelenskyy’s Peace Formula, describing it as a continuation of Ukraine’s decree prohibiting negotiations with Russia. He criticized this stance as presenting unreasonable demands within the negotiation process.
This situation paints a picture of a complex and ongoing conflict, where disagreements over negotiations and peace terms continue to fuel the tension between Russia and Ukraine. Putin's remarks underscore the challenges in finding a resolution and the deep-rooted issues that prolong the conflict.
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