Putin names China, India, and Brazil as potential mediators in Ukraine
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin declared on Thursday that China, India, and Brazil could mediate talks between Russia and Ukraine, reported Reuters.
Many pieces of information provided by Russian media or government representatives are elements of propaganda. Such reports are part of the information war waged by the Russian Federation.
According to Putin, negotiations between Russia and Ukraine that took place in Istanbul in the early weeks of the 2022 war could serve as a basis for further talks.
Putin on the agreement: "They did not allow Ukraine"
Are we ready to negotiate with them? We never refused to do so, but not based on some ephemeral demands, but on the basis of documents that were agreed upon and actually initialled in Istanbul," said Putin.
"In Istanbul, a deal was reached with Kyiv, the Ukrainian side was satisfied with the agreements reached but was instructed not to go through with it," said Russian President Vladimir Putin at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum.
"We managed to reach an agreement, that’s the whole trick. This is evidenced by the signature of the head of the Ukrainian delegation, who initialled this document, but among the elites of the United States, Europe, and some European countries, the desire to achieve a strategic defeat of Russia emerged," added the dictator, quoted by Ria Novosti.
Putin also blames Kyiv for the lack of an agreement. In his view, the authorities are ready to "fight to the last Ukrainian". He also believes that the conscription age in Ukraine will be reduced until "children are sent to the front".
Chance for mediation? He pointed to three countries
Vladimir Putin also indicated which countries, in his opinion, could help achieve an agreement between Russia and Ukraine.
"We respect our friends and partners who, I believe, are sincerely interested in resolving all issues related to this conflict. These are primarily the People's Republic of China, Brazil, and India. I am in constant contact with our partners on this issue. I have no doubt that the leaders of these countries, with whom we share trust, sincerely strive to help clarify all the details of this complex process," said the dictator.
Ukrainians want negotiations, but not at the expense of territory
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky long rejected the possibility of an agreement with the current Russian authorities. He issued a decree excluding talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In recent months, the situation has changed, and Zelensky suggested that Russian representatives should be present at the second "peace summit" that Ukraine wants to organise in November.
Changes in public sentiment are also evidenced by a survey conducted by the Razumkov Centre Research Centre, commissioned by the internet portal ZN.UA between 20 and 28 June 2024.
44% of Ukrainians from areas behind the front line believe that it is time to start official talks between Kyiv and Moscow. However, according to this survey, Ukrainians are categorically opposed to meeting the conditions for ending the war set by Putin.
Almost 83% of respondents reject the possibility of withdrawing Ukrainian troops from parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions that are under Ukrainian control, and about 84% of respondents oppose handing over these territories to Russia.
Source: Reuters, Ria Novosti, Deutsche Welle
