Is it judged that the image of the “victor” will be damaged by the sinking of the flagship?
Focus on securing the maximum territory … “Meeting with Zelensky, avoiding with all my might”
Russian President Vladimir Putin visits a church in Moscow on the 24th of this month to celebrate the Easter of the Russian Orthodox Church and has a dialogue with the Patriarch = Moscow / AP Yonhap News
Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to have virtually abandoned peace talks in the Ukrainian War and turned to a territorial expansion strategy, people who met him said.
Putin has lost interest in diplomatic efforts to end the Ukrainian war and instead appears to be trying to maximize Ukrainian territory. Quoting the stories of three people involved in the dialogue with the president, the British “Financial Times” reported on the 24th. Putin seriously considered peace talks after the Russian troops invading Ukraine struggled on the battlefield in Kyiv last month, but now abandoned the compromise and offered a diplomatic solution to end the war. He says he is talking to the people who have promoted it.
Russia and Ukraine drafted an agreement on the neutralization of Ukraine in peace talks in Istanbul on the 29th of last month, but Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky took a strong stance on territorial issues such as eastern Donbus and the Crimea Peninsula. Peace talks have been suspended as Russia’s “Bucha slaughter” and other civilian slaughter have been revealed. Under such circumstances, Russia’s Black Sea Fleet flagship “Moscow” was virtually sunk by a Ukrainian missile attack on the 14th of this month.
People who came into contact with Putin said that there was “hope for negotiations. President Putin was wandering around. He needed to find a way out of the war as a victor.” .. But after the sinking of “Moscow,” Putin did not sign anything. After the “Moscow” incident, he no longer looked like a victor because it was shameful. ” ..
So far, arbitrators such as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, European Union (EU) Summit Chairman Charles Michel, and Russian millionaire Roman Abramovic have tried to break the stalemate in negotiations with Putin. I have persuaded him to meet the president. But Putin said in a telephone conversation with Chairman Michelle that the talks had stranded because Ukraine had “built a wall” and that it was “not the right time” to meet President Zelensky. Told.
Negotiators say they believe that Russia “can acquire more territory” through aggressive military action, rather than a signal that it will take more time to find an area of consensus in the talks. Interpreted as meaning. A source involved in peace talks said Putin “wouldn’t do his best” to meet with Zelensky, saying he “wants to decide everything before meeting Zelensky in person.” talked. Russia is now moving beyond its goal of stabilizing the Donbus region, which it has set as the name of the war, to take full control of southeastern Ukraine. If this happens, Ukraine will lose its way to the Black Sea. Ukraine’s short-term military achievements have brought about greater strategic challenges nationally.
Those who have been involved in the peace talks between the two countries have said that President Zelensky is also reluctant to talk about peace. President Zelensky said in a meeting with Chairman Michelle on the 20th of this month that Ukrainian public opinion does not support continued peace talks. Rather than making concessions, fighting President Putin can secure greater support.
Senior Reporter Jung Wigil (Inquiries japan@hani.co.kr)
Translated CM