Russian President Vladimir Putin told French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday that Russia would achieve the goals of its military intervention in Ukraine whatever may happen, the Kremlin said. In a statement issued after the French and Russian Presidents spoke over phone, the Kremlin made clear its goals of demilitarisation and neutrality of Ukraine. Any attempts by Kyiv to delay negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian officials would result in Moscow adding more items to a list of demands it has already set out, it said.
Putin’s determined stand came even as the second round of Russia-Ukraine talks began at the Belarus-Poland border on Thursday. Some reports said that Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has sought direct talks with President Putin as the “only way to stop war”. Russian forces are stepping up efforts to seize control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine, Ukrainian officials said on Thursday.
“Vladimir Putin outlined in detail the fundamental approaches and conditions in the context of negotiations with representatives of Kyiv. It was confirmed that, first of all, we are talking about the demilitarisation and neutral status of Ukraine, so that a threat to the Russian Federation will never emanate from its territory,” the statement said. “It was emphasised that the tasks of the special military operation will be fulfilled in any event, and attempts to gain time by dragging out negotiations will only lead to additional demands on Kiev in our negotiating position.”
The statement said Russia’s “special operation” in Ukraine was going “according to plan”. It said reports that Russian forces were bombarding Kyiv were part of an “anti-Russia disinformation campaign”, and that Russian forces were doing all they could to protect civilians. Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a “special operation” that it says is not designed to occupy territory, but to destroy its southern neighbour’s military capabilities and capture what it regards as dangerous nationalists.
A report from Paris said Macron said he would maintain communication with Putin to persuade him to “give up weapons” and preventing the further spread of the conflict in Ukraine. “While holding permanent negotiations with President [of Ukraine Volodymyr] Zelenskyy, I will also maintain contact—as long as I can and as necessary, with President [of Russia Vladimir] Putin in order to persuade him to give up weapons to assist in the negotiations and prevent the spread of the conflict to the extent in which France can do that,” Macron said in an address to the French people on late Wednesday. The French leader stressed that Paris was not waging a war against Russia and praised the role played by the Russian people in World War II. “Today, we are together with the Russians, who do not want this disgraceful war to be waged on their behalf, who take the responsibility and courage to protect peace,” Macron added.
Meanwhile, the regional governor of Ukraine’s port city Kherson, Hennadiy Laguta said on Thursday that Russian forces have taken control of an administrative building in the east European country’s second-largest city Kharkiv. Laguta shared the update in an online post, according to Reuters.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who regularly addresses his people via videos, said that the country’s defence lines were holding the Russian forces. He added that there has been no breather in missile strikes by Moscow that have turned Kharkiv and Ukraine’s capital Kyiv into rubble. The stiff opposition by the Ukrainian army has allowed Russians to take control of only Kherson so far, which, in turn, has intensified the shelling in conflict zones.
In Ukraine’s southern port city Mairupol, council authorities said that Russian troops were constantly and intentionally launching airstrikes in civilian infrastructure, thus leaving it without water, power and heating in freezing cold. This also has disrupted movement of supplies and evacuation of people.
A report from Minsk, Belarus, said that the second round of talks between Russia and Ukraine began in Belarus on Thursday, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus. Taking to Twitter, Belarus MFA said, “Second round of Russia-Ukraine talks kicks off in Belarus.” According to Sputnik, the Ukrainian delegation flew to the meeting point from Poland by helicopter.
Ukraine’s Dzerkalo Tyzhnia newspaper Tuesday, citing Ukrainian diplomatic sources said that during the first round on Monday, the Russian delegation conveyed Moscow’s demand to enshrine Ukraine’s non-bloc status at the parliamentary level and hold a referendum.
Among other conditions reportedly voiced by Moscow was Kyiv’s recognition of the Luhansk and Donetsk people’s republics within the borders of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, as well as the “de-Nazification” of Ukraine. During the first talks, Russia and Ukraine identified some priority topics on which they have outlined certain decisions, adviser to the head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office said after the talks. Head of Russian delegation after talks said “we found issues where we can expect to agree.”