Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Moscow is ready for peace talks with Ukraine at any time and in any place.
Speaking at a news conference in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, Putin said he expected the West to oppose his peace initiative for Ukraine.
Sound politicians will consider Russia’s proposal on Ukraine if they want to end the conflict, Putin said, warning that conditions could change depending on the situation on the battlefield.
At the same time, if Kiev links the start of peace talks with the withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine, then the talks will never take place, Putin emphasized.
Regarding the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Russian President said that he expects the West to replace him in the first half of 2025.
Commenting on NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s remarks about putting the alliance’s nuclear forces on alert, Putin said that Russia is closely monitoring such intentions and will respond adequately if something happens.
The Russian president also noted that the country’s authorities are considering changes to the nuclear doctrine because “adversaries” have lowered the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons.
Asked if Moscow planned to include a pre-emptive nuclear strike in the new edition of the doctrine, the president said “there is no need,” explaining that Russian forces are capable of repelling an adversary’s attack “in a counterattack.”, AA writes.
