Russian President Vladimir Putin has once again stated the main condition for ending the war in Ukraine: Russia will not lay down its arms unless the Ukrainian army completely withdraws from the territories claimed by Moscow, such as Crimea, Luhansk, and Donetsk. Kyiv, however, absolutely refuses to agree to territorial losses.
During his speech in Kyrgyzstan, Putin indicated that Russia has the "initiative" on the front and, if necessary, would achieve its goals "by force." He also confirmed that a revised peace plan discussed between the U.S. and Russia is being negotiated.
A U.S. delegation will visit Moscow next week. At the same time, a visit by the U.S. Army Secretary to Ukraine is also expected.
Putin once again referred to the Ukrainian leadership as "illegitimate." He described the warnings from Europe about a "possible Russian attack on Europe" as "nonsense."
