Russian President Vladimir Putin said that if necessary, he is ready to give a written assurance that Russia will never attack Europe or NATO. He said these claims are rumours and nonsense spread by those who sell weapons.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeated his maximalist demands over occupied Ukrainian territory and signalled that Moscow has no intention of slowing its full-scale invasion or entering negotiations with Kyiv while asserting that he never had plans to attack Europe, something he is ready to put down on paper, Sputnik news has reported.
He hit out at European leaders for floating such a narrative, calling it an “illusion made for the Europeans”.
“Russia never intended to attack Europe, and we are ready to write that down on paper. Maybe European leaders are just trying to create an illusion for their populations. Perhaps they’re catering to defence companies. But in our view, it’s simply nonsense,” he said while speaking to the media during his visit to Kyrgyzstan.
Putin demands US recognition of occupied territories
Putin said Moscow wants the United States to acknowledge the regions of Ukraine currently under Russian control. He declared that “Ukrainian troops will withdraw from the territories they occupy, and then the fighting will cease,”ย adding, “If they do not withdraw, we will achieve this through military force.”
Kyiv and the West insist on ceasefire
Ukraine, along with the United States and the European Union, has maintained that Russia must first agree to a ceasefire before any formal talks can begin. Putin rejected this approach, saying he would only negotiate with Washington because โsigning documents with the Ukrainian leadership is pointless.โ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly invited Putin to hold direct talks and Donald Trump had earlier offered to host a trilateral meeting, but the Kremlin declined.
Kyiv announced that joint work between Ukrainian and US teams will continue this week to build on progress made during recent discussions in Geneva. The head of Zelenskyys office said โit is crucial not to lose productivity and to work quickly,โ noting that โour key shared goal remains unchanged, achieving a lasting and dignified peace for Ukraine ASAP.โ
Trump’s envoy preparing Moscow visit
Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected in Moscow next week following reports that he advised Russian officials on how to frame the Kremlinโs demands in a way that could win Trumpโs support. Representatives of the United States,ย Russia, and Ukraine held talks in the United Arab Emirates earlier this week. Although European officials were not present their suggested amendments are believed to have been incorporated into Kyivs position.
The Kremlin has refused to communicate with any party other than the Trump team. Putin ridiculed parts of the draft plan and dismissed claims that Russia is preparing to strike European countries although he said he would be prepared to give a written assurance on this point.
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