Putin says Ukraine deal requires security pledges for Russia

MOSCOW - President Vladimir Putin said Russia would demand security guarantees to consider talks to end the war in Ukraine, telling a state news agency that “realities on the ground” should be the basis of any negotiations.

In an interview with Russian state-run news agency RIA Novosti published on March 13, Mr Putin reiterated Russia’s willingness to resolve “this conflict by peaceful means”.

Ukraine’s government has previously

rejected any deal involving territorial concessions

that would reward Mr Putin’s aggression. 

“In this case, we are primarily interested in the security of Russia,” Mr Putin said. “We will proceed from that.”

Asked if a “fair deal” with the West is possible, Mr Putin replied: “I don’t trust anyone, but we need assurances.”

There has never been a need to use tactical nuclear weapons during the war in Ukraine, and the thought never crossed his mind, Mr Putin said, adding he did not think that Russia and the United States were heading towards a nuclear conflict. 

Still, he said countries that declared they had no red lines toward Russia should understand that Russia would respond in the same way.

Mr Putin made his comments ahead of the March 15 to 17 presidential election that he is certain to win for another six years in power.

With Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine now in its third year, its forces have recently made some advances as the government in

Kyiv struggles to keep its military supplied with munitions

following delays in aid from its US and European allies.

The White House on March 12 announced

a package of US$300 million (S$400 million) in military assistance

to Ukraine, though President Joe Biden’s call for the release of more than US$60 billion in defence aid remains deadlocked in Congress in a dispute with Republicans.

Mr Putin said French President Emmanuel Macron’s sharp criticism of Russia may be due to resentment over developments in Africa.

While a number of African countries have recently cut links with France and bolstered relations with Russia, Mr Putin insisted Moscow was not setting states against Paris.

While missiles supplied by the US and Britain cause damage to Russia, they do not change the situation on the battlefield, Mr Putin said. He also dismissed alleged discussions by German officers about striking the bridge linking Russia to Crimea as “nothing more than fantasies”.

Russian media earlier in March published what it said was

a conversation between high-ranking German air force officials

about supplying long-range Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has repeatedly ruled out such a move, saying it would make his country an active participant in the war, amid tensions with allies over the issue that Moscow has sought to exploit. BLOOMBERG