Russian President Vladimir Putin stated today that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s warning to airlines that Ukrainian drones makeand effectively closed Russian airspace, resembles “state terrorism,” adding that Moscow will find an appropriate way to respond.
In a press conference he gave in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, where he was attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, Putin sent a message to Kyiv that there can be no negotiations with “terrorists.”
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He assured, however, that Moscow remains open to dialogue. “We want to end the war and achieve lasting peace throughout Ukraine and Europe. We are ready to engage in a negotiation process with anyone who is willing to do the same,” he said.
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He reiterated his conviction that the Russian army will prevail on the battlefields in Ukraine and that Kyiv’s forces “will collapse.” He noted that Moscow’s troops captured 270 square kilometers in the Donetsk region in August, continuing their advance toward Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.
He acknowledged that Ukrainian drones have caused significant damage in Russia and emphasized in particular the strikes on Russian ships and oil refineries. He said that Ukraine had struck approximately 100 ships over a 40-day period, with the cost of the damage amounting to 1% of GDP. He added that damage to most refineries has already been repaired, and repairs are still needed at 10% of the affected facilities.
Putin accused Berlin of staging a provocation inregarding the German claim that Russia was responsible for the attempted drone attack on Leipzig Airport last month. He argued that the German government is trying to divert public attention away from the turmoil caused by Chancellor Merz’s falling popularity.
Putin Calls on Yerevan to Choose Between the EU and the Eurasian Economic Union
Moreover, Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a tense exchange on Tuesday regarding Yerevan’s efforts to join the European Union, which Moscow considers incompatible with membership in the Eurasian Economic Union, composed of former Soviet states.
The two leaders met in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit. It was the first meeting between Putin and Pashinyan since the recent elections in Armenia, which confirmed Yerevan’s shift toward the West.
The Kremlin strongman called on the Armenian government to put its desire for the country’s accession to the European Union to a referendum “as soon as possible.” “We must adjust our trade and economic policies in line with these potential decisions,” Putin said.
The Armenian Prime Minister replied that the adoption last year of a law that clearly underscored Armenia’s intention to apply for EU membership made holding a referendum unnecessary. He noted, however, that it is premature to speak of Armenia’s withdrawal from the Eurasian Economic Union.
“The adoption of a law that initiates the process of joining another economic organization is equivalent to announcing withdrawal from our own,” Putin replied to Pashinyan.
Pashinyan’s stated ambition to have his country join the European Union has strained relations between Yerevan and Moscow, which responded by imposing sanctions on Armenia.
Source: KYPE
