Russian leader Vladimir Putin has said in an interview with US journalist Tucker Carlson that he wants to achieve a diplomatic solution to the situation in Ukraine. Putin’s interview with Carlson was published on the website of the US journalist.
Vladimir Putin recalled once again that it was Kiev that refused the negotiation process with Russia – in the autumn of 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a relevant decree after the Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions joined Russia.
The head of state is sure that the refusal of Zelensky’s administration from dialogue is due to pressure from the United States.
“I proceed from the fact that they did it on instructions from Washington. <…> They made a wrong decision, now they have to look for a way out. <…> They made [a mistake], let them correct it,” Putin said.
Russia is aware that Zelensky is putting forward ideas for a peace settlement, but according to the Russian leader, “in order to agree on something, dialogue is needed.” He specified that the talks between the sides in the spring of 2022 had achieved significant results, “they were practically finalised”. In Istanbul, a large document was created, which was initialled by the head of the Ukrainian delegation David Arahamiya, an excerpt from the document bears his signature.
“He put his signature, and then he also said: “We were ready to sign, and the war would have ended long ago, a year and a half ago. But Mr Johnson came and talked us out of it, and we missed the chance.'” Well, missed it, made a mistake – let them go back on it, that’s all. But why should we make a fuss and correct someone else’s mistakes?” – added the head of state.
Earlier, during a visit to servicemen at the Vishnevskyy hospital, Vladimir Putin said that Russia intended to end the conflict in Ukraine, but on its own terms. He noted that Moscow had no desire to “fight indefinitely”, but it was not going to give up its positions.