Putin dismisses peace talks, aims for long conflict with West
Vladimir Putin signals that Russia will not participate in peace talks soon, according to analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Many pieces of information reported by Russian media or government representatives are elements of propaganda. Such reports are part of the information war conducted by the Russian Federation.
During an interview on Russian state television, Vladimir Putin stated that Russia does not plan to engage in peace talks in the near future, as reported by "Ukrainian Pravda."
In a conversation with Kremlin propagandist Pavel Zarubin, Putin suggested that the war would continue for a long time. He emphasized that Russia's aggression against Ukraine is part of a broader conflict with the West.
According to ISW analysts, the interview aimed to convince Russian elites that there is no quick path to peace. Putin wants them to understand that the conflict will not end quickly.
Putin's narrative
Putin promotes the narrative that Ukraine is a puppet of the West, and the conflict is a global confrontation of great powers. According to him, peace talks can only take place between the United States and Russia, excluding Ukraine's involvement.
During the interview, Putin also questioned the legitimacy of Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelensky. He tried to present himself as an equal partner to Donald Trump, highlighting the importance of Russia as the successor of the Soviet Union.
Putin stated on Friday that he always had good, pragmatic, but also trust-based relations with President Donald Trump. He added that he is willing to engage in talks with the USA and reiterated Trump's opinion that the war would not have occurred had Trump been in the White House in 2022.
He called Trump a "pragmatic" and "smart" man with whom he could discuss many topics, stating that Russia and the USA have a range of issues to address, including nuclear arms control and economic matters.
He noted that peace talks with Ukraine are not currently possible because allegedly President Volodymyr Zelensky has ruled out negotiations. "How is it possible to conduct talks if they are banned? If the talks start in the existing legal framework, they would be illegitimate and the results of those talks could also be declared illegitimate," he stated.
