During his speech at the Council of Civil Society and Human Rights, Vladimir Putin spoke about the full-scale war in Ukraine that has been going on for almost four years. — We will certainly bring this matter to its logical conclusion, achieving all the goals of the special military operation, said the Russian leader.
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What goals does Russia have in Ukraine?
What does Putin say about Donbas?
What are Russia's demands in the peace negotiations?
How do Americans influence Zelensky?
He also argued that the Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia “have always been part of the Russian Federation.” — Donbas is Russian territory, that's a historical fact, said the dictator, repeating the Kremlin's propaganda. — Territories are important. These are reclaimed lands, our historic land. Russia was created in such a way that it was always part of Russia, Putin said, accusing that it was Lenin who gave these areas.
Donbas is a region largely uninhabited until the 17th century, historically known as the Wild Fields: the land of the Ukrainian Hetmanate and the Turkish Crimean Khanate, conquered by Russia only in the mid-18th century.
Axios: Zelensky under increasing pressure from the Americans
On Monday, Axios reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is facing increasing pressure from the US, which wants him to accept territorial losses to Russia and make other concessions.
The peace negotiations focus on two issues. Russia demands that Ukraine give it the entire Donbas, including the territory that Russian troops have not conquered. Ukraine, in turn, demands strong security guarantees from the US to prevent future Russian aggression.
The Ukrainian official said that from Kiev's perspective, the U.S. offer deteriorated after last week's conversation between U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner with Putin in Moscow. — It looked as if the US was trying to sell us in various ways the Russian desire to occupy the entire Donbas, and the Americans wanted Zelensky to accept it all during a telephone conversation, a source told Axios.
