Russian President Vladimir Putin stated today that he is not seeking Ukraine’s capitulation, but rather for it to “recognize the new reality on the ground.”
Speaking at a plenary session of the International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg, Putin said, “Based on the reality on the ground, it would be desirable for Ukraine to return to the values on which it gained independence, and above all, non-bloc status,” as reported by Sputnik.
He pointed out that Ukraine is losing combat readiness, as its army is only 47 percent staffed. He added that Moscow had offered Kyiv the opportunity to halt the war at every stage, but Ukrainian authorities consistently rejected these initiatives.
Accusations Against “Neo-Colonial” States and Russian Advance
States adhering to “neo-colonial principles” were convinced that the conflict in Ukraine would “succeed in breaking Russia,” Putin asserted. However, he claimed the reality is that the Russian army is now advancing daily along the front line.
Putin emphasized that the Russian military currently has no objective to capture the city of Sumy, but he did not rule out the possibility of it happening in the future, as Russia needs to establish a “security zone” 10 to 12 kilometers deep.
According to Putin, the tragedy in Ukraine is a consequence of the actions of those unwilling to accept global changes. “The tragedy happening in Ukraine is not the result of our actions, but the actions of those who do not want to reconcile with the global changes occurring in the world,” Putin said, as reported by FoNet.
