Putin says talks with Ukraine possible, but not with Zelensky
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Russian President Vladimir Putin said Ukraine would “not exist” if the West cut its military support to Kyiv.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin said Jan 28 that talks with Ukraine were possible but not with its President Volodymyr Zelensky, whom he deemed “illegitimate”.
The Ukrainian leader responded by saying that Mr Putin was “afraid” of negotiations and was using “cynical tricks” to prolong the nearly three-year conflict.
US President Donald Trump has put pressure on both sides to end the nearly three-year conflict, saying last week that Mr Zelensky wanted to negotiate a “deal” to stop the fighting.
“If (Mr Zelensky) wants to participate in the negotiations, I will allocate people to take part in the negotiations,” Mr Putin said, calling the Ukrainian leader “illegitimate” because his presidential term expired during martial law.
“If there is a desire to negotiate and find a compromise, let anyone lead the negotiations there… Naturally, we will strive for what suits us, what corresponds to our interests,” he added.
Mr Zelensky said that there was a chance to achieve “real peace” but that the Kremlin chief was frustrating efforts to stop the fighting.
“Today, Putin once again confirmed that he is afraid of negotiations, afraid of strong leaders, and does everything possible to prolong the war,” Mr Zelensky wrote on X.
Kyiv has warned against it being excluded from any peace talks between Russia and the US, accusing Mr Putin of wanting to “manipulate” Mr Trump.
‘Everything would be over’
Mr Putin also claimed the fighting would end in two months or less if the West cut its support to Kyiv.
“They will not exist for a month if the money and, in a broad sense, the bullets run out. Everything would be over in a month and a half or two,” Mr Putin said.
The conflict has shown no signs of de-escalating despite Mr Trump’s promise to enact a quick ceasefire once in office.
Russia said on Jan 29 it had downed more than 100 Ukrainian drones in an overnight attack, while Kyiv’s military said Moscow had launched an overnight drone attack of its own.
Russia’s army said on Jan 28 that its forces had captured a large village in Ukraine’s north-eastern Kharkiv region, the latest territorial gain for Moscow’s advancing troops.
The Russian Defence Ministry said its forces had “liberated” the village of Dvorichna, which had a pre-conflict population of more than 3,000. The village, located across the strategic Oskil river, was seized by Moscow at the start of its full-scale military offensive in 2022, before being retaken by Kyiv months later in a swift counter-offensive.
Russia has long alleged that Mr Zelensky no longer has legal authority
Ukraine’s Constitution empowers the Speaker of Parliament to act if the president is unable to do so.
But the Ukrainian authorities say Mr Zelensky remains the legitimate president on grounds that martial law has been in effect since Russia’s full-scale invasion
They say wartime conditions do not allow
Russian officials said on Jan 27 that nobody in Mr Trump’s team had reached out about setting up a meeting with Mr Putin, but that both sides appeared to be ready for one.
Kyiv has warned against it being excluded from any peace talks, accusing Mr Putin of wanting to “manipulate” Mr Trump. AFP, REUTERS
