Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a lengthy year-end press conference on Thursday that he is ready to meet with US President-elect Donald Trump at any time.
During his successful 2024 presidential campaign, President Trump said he would quickly negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine, perhaps before he takes office in January.
President Putin was asked specifically about President Trump's desire to negotiate a ceasefire in Ukraine. dictator of russia answered He was ready for “negotiations” and “compromises”.
“I don't know when I will see him. He hasn't said anything about it. I haven't talked to him for more than four years. Of course, I'm ready for that. Any time,” Putin said. spoke.
“If I were to meet with President-elect Trump, I'm sure we would have a lot to talk about,” he added.
president putin claimed that Russia is not in a weak negotiating position because of recent setbacks in the Middle East. overthrow The death of Russian-backed Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad or battlefield losses in Ukraine.
“You said this meeting would take place in a situation where I was weak,” Putin told NBC News reporter Keir Simmons, mockingly. “And you guys, and the people on your payroll in the United States, would very much like to see Russia weakened.”
“I adhere to a different point of view. I believe that Russia has become quite strong in the last couple of years. Why? We are becoming a truly sovereign state, so we are already giving little to anyone We are not dependent on it,” Putin said.
president putin claimed Russia is “considering” whether it still needs military bases in Syria, and has indicated that it will not be a big loss if the rebel government decides to revoke Moscow's lease and force Russian troops out of the country. Suggests. He claimed that the “overwhelming” majority of Syrians want Russians to remain.
“We need to decide for ourselves what our relationship will be with the political forces that currently control the situation in this country and will control the situation in the future. Our interests need to be aligned. '' he said, making his first public comment on the fall of the Assad regime.
Putin added that he has not spoken to Assad since the ousted Syrian dictator took refuge in Moscow but plans to do so, and promised to inquire about the well-being of American journalist Austin Tice. kidnapped in Damascus in 2012.
Regarding the situation in Ukraine, President Putin claimed that after years of bloody stalemate, victory was in sight.
“We are moving towards solving the main objectives set at the beginning of the special military operation,” he said. “Our players are fighting heroically. The capabilities of our military are increasing.”
During the question and answer session that followed, a woman from the Kursk region asked when the thousands of people who had been evacuated after the Ukrainian attacks had ended. anti-aggression I might be able to return home in August. Putin's victory pose wavered a little. admitted Although he could not say when Kursk would be retaken, he was confident that it would eventually happen.
“We will definitely drive them out. Absolutely. There can be no other way. But as for specific dates, I'm sorry, I can't tell you right now,” he told Kursk residents. .
“For unknown reasons, there was no military sense in the Ukrainian army entering the Kursk region, or in the current situation, staying there and bringing in elite troops to commit a massacre. ” he said.
“I understand that what is happening to you is nothing good,” he told the woman from Kursk. “People are suffering great losses, hardships and daily inconveniences, especially in relation to children. But rest assured, we will do everything necessary. We will get everything back on track. .”
President Putin did not mention North Korean mercenaries brought in Will Russia strengthen Operation Kursk? heavy casualties These North Korean troops were reportedly injured. He said only that “our allies” were fighting a “serious battle” in the region.
Putin's meeting came a day after his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. admitted It's an analogy huge amount Even with military and financial support from the United States and Europe, his forces will not be able to retake territory captured by Russian forces in eastern Ukraine and Crimea.
“In effect, these territories are now controlled by the Russians. We have no power to take them back. We can only hope for diplomatic pressure from the international community to force President Putin to come to the negotiating table.” Zelenskiy told the French newspaper. Le Parisien on wednesday.
President Zelenskiy added that the government does not intend to “abandon territory” because “Ukraine's constitution forbids us to do so,” but his concession that military force cannot achieve that goal is It marks a significant shift in his rhetoric and supports Putin's claims that Russia will “give up its territory.” China will not enter into ceasefire negotiations from a weak position.
Late last month, Mr. Zelenskiy Conceded a point Crimea, which has been illegally occupied by Russian forces since 2014, can only be “taken back diplomatically.”
Zelensky too proposed NATO could declare all of the Ukrainian territory not already occupied by Russia to be under Russian protection, effectively freezing the current front and allowing ceasefire negotiations to begin. This is an implicit concession that Russia is likely to occupy more of Ukraine if the war continues.
President Zelenskiy in October was popular His “victory plan” to end the war was far less ambitious than his proposed “peace plan” for 2023, despite its grander name. The 2023 plan envisioned Russia withdrawing from all occupied Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, and paying war reparations to Ukraine.
As late as October, President Zelenskiy was still saying that the only way to “force” a ceasefire was for Russia to “lose the war,” but he no longer uses such offensive language.
