Russia Will Keep Fighting In Ukraine If Peace Talks Fail— Putin Warns

Russia Will Keep Fighting In Ukraine If Peace Talks Fail— Putin Warns

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said Russia would continue its war in Ukraine if peace talks fail, wrapping up a visit to China.

Diplomatic efforts to end the three-and-a-half-year conflict have largely stalled, despite US President Donald Trump meeting both Russian and Ukrainian leaders last month.

Reacting to this development, Putin said he thought there was “light at the end of the tunnel”, but promised to continue fighting and claimed his troops were “advancing on all fronts”.

“Let’s see how the situation develops. If not, then we will have to resolve all our tasks militarily,” Putin confirmed to reporters in Beijing when asked about the prospects for a deal.

Putin again ruled out an immediate meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, questioning his legitimacy but saying he was welcome to come to Moscow for talks.

“Donald (Trump) asked me for such a meeting, I said: ‘Yes, it’s possible, let Zelensky come to Moscow’,” Putin said.

Zelensky previously rejected such an invitation, according to an AFP source in August.

The Kremlin leader added that Russia was ready to send a higher-level delegation to peace negotiations, though he did not disclose who might be involved.

“If it will be necessary to raise the level of delegations, we are ready for it,” the Russian leader said.