Putin: West refuses to negotiate over Ukraine, aims to 'tear apart' Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin says Moscow is ready to negotiate with all parties involved in the war in Ukraine, but Kiev and its Western allies refuse to engage in talks.
In an interview aired on Sunday on Rossiya 1 state television, Putin manifested his government's readiness to sit at the negotiating table, but asked for a two-way solution.
"We are ready to negotiate with everyone involved about acceptable solutions, but that is up to them - we are not the ones refusing to negotiate, they are," Putin said.
He also blasted the West for trying to "tear apart" Russia and stressed that Russia was acting in the "right direction" in Ukraine.
"At the core of it all is the policy of our geopolitical opponents, aiming to tear apart Russia, the historical Russia," Putin said.
"They have always tried to 'divide and conquer'... Our goal is something else -- to unite the Russian people."
He added, "I believe that we are acting in the right direction, we are defending our national interests, the interests of our citizens, our people. And we have no other choice but to protect our citizens."
Referring to the patriot missiles, recently pledged by the US government as military aid to Ukraine, Putin said that he is “100 percent” confident that his forces would destroy the Pentagon’s most advanced air defense system.
“Of course we will destroy it, 100 percent!” Putin stressed.
In his first trip outside Ukraine since the offensive began in February, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earned firm pledges of support from US President Joe Biden, including the Pentagon's most advanced air system.
The US and its Western allies have provided Ukraine with a raft of lethal armaments, after the start of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine.
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