Russia wants to end the war in Ukraine “as soon as possible,” preferably through peaceful means, and is ready to continue negotiations — provided that Kyiv and its Western allies are willing to engage, Vladimir Putin said.

Speaking during a roundtable with top editors of major international news agencies late on June 18, Putin added that he is ready to meet with Volodymyr Zelensky and “Russia does not care who represents Ukraine in negotiations, but insists that any final agreement must bear the signature of legitimate authorities.”

The Kremlin has long sought to portray Zelensky as “illegitimate” in an attempt to discredit Kyiv. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Feb. 18 that Putin, who has ruled Russia for over 20 years, is ready for talks with Zelensky, but “legal aspects related to his legitimacy” must be considered.

Ukraine’s allies had generally ignored this propaganda narrative until Donald Trump appeared to echo the Kremlin’s lines claiming that Zelensky was a “modestly successful comedian” turned “dictator” who “refused to have elections.”

  • Buddahriffic@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    8
    ·
    3 hours ago

    Feels kinda like a game of crusader kings iii where you’ve gained some territory but worry that your opponent’s allies might send a large army at any time, plus your vassals are rumbling about revolt, so you want to get that war finished asap but don’t have enough of an advantage to force them to accept your terms.

    Except it’s OK when it’s crusader kings because that’s just a fucking video game and people aren’t really dying on both sides for your ego or power hungry imperial bullshit.

  • palordrolap@fedia.io
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    14
    ·
    5 hours ago

    Do you remember that episode of The Simpsons where Homer has his arm stuck in a drink vending machine and it becomes clear that he would have been free if only he’d let go of the soda can inside it? And everyone laughs at him?

    Here we see “Homer” Putin with his army stuck in a war holding onto a Ukraine. He even has the same haircut. D’oh!

  • cheese_greater@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    7
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    edit-2
    6 hours ago

    Art of the deal strikes again, Fuck off puts. They should demand Putin be exiled to China or some shit. Assad has to stay there or be handed over to ICC

  • EndlessNightmare@reddthat.com
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    10
    ·
    7 hours ago

    Russia could simply stop attacking at any time, yes? Or at least they could have, not sure if Ukraine would back off at this point given how long this has dragged on.

    Oh, but that isn’t what they actually want.

    • gloriousspearfish@feddit.dk
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      2 hours ago

      If Russia withdraw out of Ukraine, and stop attacking, the war will end immediately. Russia have always had the option of stopping the war, they just choose not to.

  • EvilBit@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    38
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    9 hours ago

    My Russian is rusty, but here’s a rough translation: “We invaded Ukraine and have had our asses kicked thoroughly and dramatically, but we would still like to win and take a bunch of their territory.”

    I might have missed a conjugation or two.

    • WanderingThoughts@europe.pub
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      6
      ·
      5 hours ago

      but we would still like to win and take a bunch of their territory

      Putin had to. If the war ends with nothing to show for it, it’s his turn to poison himself out of a window.

  • A_norny_mousse@feddit.org
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    54
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    11 hours ago

    Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Feb. 18 that Putin, who has ruled Russia for over 20 years, is ready for talks with Zelensky, but “legal aspects related to his legitimacy” must be considered.

    I agree. 20 years is way too long; something is fishy.

  • A_norny_mousse@feddit.org
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    24
    ·
    edit-2
    11 hours ago

    provided that Kyiv and its Western allies are willing to engage

    Read: provided they agree to our demands

    And even if: Russia has already broken international treaties. Why should it be different this time?

  • Buffalox@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    27
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    edit-2
    11 hours ago

    “Russia does not care who represents Ukraine in negotiations, but insists that any final agreement must bear the signature of legitimate authorities.”

    No doubt Zelensky is the legitimate leader of Ukraine, but who does he imagine should sign for Russia?

    But honestly Putin can piss off with his constant ridiculous preconditions. Although of course that’s up to Ukraine to decide.
    But I don’t blame them if they just send him this response: 🖕

    • Vopyr@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      16
      ·
      edit-2
      8 hours ago

      The best response to anything they say or offer is the middle finger. If they want peace, they should get the fuck out of our lands and not come to us from their swamp in the future, but we are well aware that they do not want peace, they want to take as much Ukrainian land as possible, or even the whole of Ukraine.

      By the way, he doesn’t care? Damn nonsense, after we kicked Yanukovych out of our country (or rather, he fled like the beaten, whiney bitch that he is, Putin’s bitch), Putin and the rest of Russia started saying in unison that Poroshenko (and later Zelensky) were “not legitimate” presidents, although they are of course quite legitimate, because it is up to the Ukrainian people to choose, not Russia.

  • Hoohoo@fedia.io
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    9
    ·
    10 hours ago

    Has anyone considered Putin might simply be a compulsive liar, but for some strange reason it’s not recognised in Russia?