Vladimir Putin reiterated his strategic objectives once again: the Ukrainians must withdraw from Donbass, otherwise "we will take it by force." "The agreement is difficult," the Kremlin leader reiterated, renewing his accusations against NATO: "Its expansion to the east represents a threat to us."

Comments on Donald Trump, who in the meantime has eased sanctions on the Russian oil giant Lukoil , were decidedly more conciliatory.

"It all comes down to this: either we will liberate these territories by force, or the Ukrainian troops will leave these territories ," is the position summarized by Putin in reference to Donbass and "New Russia," that is, all the annexed territories.

So there was no backtracking from the tsar, who was interviewed by an Indian newspaper during his visit to New Delhi: "Narendra Modi is not giving in to pressure not to buy our oil," was his satisfied comment after the face-to-face meeting with the Indian prime minister.

Putin described his meeting with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner as very useful, while confirming that "there were issues on which consensus was not reached." This included the territories, but also security guarantees for Kiev, which Moscow appears willing to accept only in a vague formulation and with the veto of NATO membership.

"Washington proposed that we divide the 28-point plan into four separate packages and discuss them," but "each point should be discussed in detail," Putin noted. Appreciating Trump's "sincerity" in wanting to resolve the conflict politically, he also cited the first draft of the American plan, which was favorable to Russia.

Even the White House resident has once again shown himself to be on the Kremlin's side. Witkoff and Kushner had "the impression that Putin wants to end the war," Trump emphasized . As a gesture toward a return to business with Moscow, he suspended part of the sanctions against Lukoil to allow gas stations located outside Russia to continue operating.

(Unioneonline)

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