Putin tells UN chief he 'hopes' for a negotiated peace with Ukraine
The Russian leader has said Ukraine must recognize separatist regions as part of a peace deal. Meanwhile, Ukraine's Zelenskyy has said Russia's war goals are to “dismember” Eastern Europe.
Russian President Putin claims to want negotiated settlement to war
Speaking after meeting UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Moscow, the Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed “hope” that diplomatic negotiations can end the war in Ukraine.
“Despite the fact that the military operation is ongoing, we still hope that we will be able to reach agreements on the diplomatic track. We are negotiating, we do not reject [talks],” Putin said.
He, however, added Russia could not give Ukraine security guarantees without resolving territorial issues in Crimea and separatist territories in eastern Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously said that a future nationwide referendum would be held to decide those issues.
Guterres called for a cease-fire, and urged Russia to allow the evacuation of civilians trapped at a giant steel mill in Mariupol surrounded by the Russian forces.
Putin said he was open to the UN and Red Cross evacuating civilians from the plant, but claimed Ukrainian forces were using civilians as shields and not allowing them to leave.
Guterres is expected to visit Kyiv on Thursday to meet with Zelenskyy and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
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