ALBAWABA - Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Ukraine turned down Moscow's peace proposals and was determined to keep fighting, even though Russia said it wanted to reach a negotiated settlement.
Putin told reporters in Beijing that Ukraine changed its mind and refused to honor a deal that had already been signed after Russian troops left Kyiv at the request of Western European partners. According to Moscow, the deal said that Ukraine would meet certain Russian demands in exchange for Russian troops leaving the outskirts of the capital.
Putin said that Kyiv broke the agreement because of pressure from Western allies. This led to the resumption of hostilities and Russia's ongoing military operations. He stressed that Moscow has never turned down peace talks, but it will still work to reach its goals if talks fail.
The Russian president said that his troops are making progress on all fronts, even though the war has been going on for more than three years. He said that Ukraine is no longer able to carry out large-scale offensive operations and is now focused on protecting its current positions.
The statement comes at a time when the world is putting more and more pressure on Russia. Donald Trump, the President of the United States, said that there could be new sanctions against Russia if it doesn't work toward peace. This shows that Washington expects real progress. The "Coalition of the Willing" is getting ready for a summit in Paris with European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. They will talk about security guarantees for Ukraine and ways to stop the situation from getting worse.
Zelensky has called for more international support, such as more sanctions on Moscow, and he is hopeful that the U.S. will give more support. The coalition, which is made up of about 30 countries, plans to work together to improve Ukraine's defense and guarantee security if a ceasefire is reached.
The events show that the gap between Moscow and Kyiv is getting bigger, with Russia demanding full compliance with its demands and Ukraine promising to keep fighting. As diplomatic efforts grow, worries about more violence stay high, which makes people wonder how likely it is that a negotiated solution will be found.
