Moscow (agencies)
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia will request security guarantees in order to consider holding talks to end the Ukrainian crisis, adding in an interview with RIA Novosti news agency that “facts on the ground” must be the basis of any negotiations.
Bloomberg News Agency quoted Putin as confirming in the interview published yesterday, Russia’s readiness to resolve “this conflict through peaceful means.” “In this case, we are primarily concerned with Russia’s security,” Putin said, adding, “We will proceed from this point.”
Putin noted that there was never a need to use tactical nuclear weapons during the conflict in Ukraine, adding that this idea had never occurred to him, and that he did not believe that Russia and the United States were headed toward a nuclear conflict.
In addition, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova announced yesterday that Russia does not intend to participate in a special peace conference in Ukraine hosted by Switzerland, even if it receives an official invitation, according to the Russian Information Agency.
The Kremlin said on February 26: The idea of holding peace talks without Russia’s presence is unacceptable, after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he hopes to hold a summit during the spring in Switzerland to discuss his vision for peace with Kiev’s allies.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned yesterday against any steps that might lead to the exacerbation of the crisis in Ukraine and its spread to NATO, adding that he would host Russian President Vladimir Putin after the elections scheduled for later this month. The Kremlin said earlier: Putin's visit to Turkey will take place after the Russian elections scheduled for March 15 and 17.
Erdogan said during a Ramadan iftar with foreign ambassadors in Ankara: Turkey will continue to work to revive the grain export agreement through the Black Sea that it brokered with Moscow and Kiev in cooperation with the United Nations. Erdogan added: “While we declared support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, we said: Peace plans that exclude Russia will not yield any results,” referring to the upcoming peace summit in Switzerland later this year, which Russia will not attend.
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