Putin: "Whether Negotiations or War, We Will Achieve Our Goals"...Alleges Ukraine's Nuclear Development Suspicion

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that he will achieve the originally planned objectives in Ukraine by any means, whether through negotiation or war, raising concerns about the prolonged nature of the invasion of Ukraine. As Russian forces have resumed offensives in key southern regions of Ukraine, the Russian government claims there is evidence that Ukraine has developed nuclear weapons, using this as justification for attacks on and occupation of major nuclear power plants within Ukraine.

According to AFP on the 6th (local time), President Putin held a 105-minute phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron. According to officials at the French ?lys?e Palace, during the call, Putin emphasized, "Whether through negotiations or war, we will achieve our objectives in Ukraine by any means." The officials explained, "President Putin is resolute in achieving what he calls the 'denazification' and 'neutralization' of Ukraine."

It is also reported that Presidents Putin and Macron debated the issue of Russian military attacks on civilians. During the call, when President Macron pointed out that "civilians must not be threatened under international law," President Putin denied, saying, "The Russian military has never done such a thing." Macron then countered, "There is no reason to believe that the Ukrainian military has endangered civilians."

Additionally, the two leaders agreed on the usefulness of a tripartite meeting proposed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to discuss the safety of Ukrainian nuclear power plants, consenting to hold a three-party meeting involving Russia, Ukraine, and the IAEA in a third country. President Putin stated regarding the attacks on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine, "There was no intention to attack the nuclear plant," and added, "We are prepared to meet IAEA standards to protect the nuclear plant."

Meanwhile, the Russian government is attempting to justify the Russian military’s attacks and occupation of Ukrainian nuclear power plants by alleging that Ukraine has been developing nuclear weapons. Russian state news agency TASS quoted a senior Russian government official as saying, "Ukraine has been developing nuclear weapons at Chernobyl, which was closed in 2000, posing a threat to Russian security." However, the Russian side has not presented concrete evidence of nuclear development.

The Russian Ministry of Defense also claimed that Ukraine was developing biological weapons. Igor Konashenkov, spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Defense, stated at a press briefing that "During the special military operation, traces of Ukraine’s 'military biological program' were confirmed," and "It was confirmed that biological weapon components were being developed at certain Ukrainian laboratories, which were funded by the United States." This is interpreted as an attempt to create justification for the war amid rising anti-war sentiment not only in Western countries but also within Russia.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.