Blaming Zelensky for Refusing Talks, Putin Shifts War Responsibility

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] Russian President Vladimir Putin on the 16th (local time) blamed Ukraine for refusing to end the war as soon as possible during a series of summit meetings with India and Turkiye (Turkey).

According to AFP and TASS news agencies, President Putin made these remarks during a meeting with Prime Minister Modi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. He said, "I want to end the Ukraine situation as soon as possible," but added, "Unfortunately, the Ukrainian leadership has refused the negotiation process. They said they want to achieve their goals by force on the battlefield."

President Putin then held a summit meeting with Turkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and reaffirmed this position. He said, "If President Erdogan had judged that a positive outcome could be made at the (Russia-Ukraine) talks, he would have naturally proposed the talks, but today he did not say that."

President Erdogan has been showing efforts to mediate between the warring Russia and Ukraine and to arrange a summit meeting between the two leaders. President Putin's remarks are interpreted as shifting the responsibility to Ukraine for rejecting such mediation efforts.

President Putin emphasized, "I have no plans to adjust the 'special military operation,'" adding, "It is proceeding at a slow pace, but there is no need to rush. There will be no changes."

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