Since Ukraine and Russia have not engaged in genuine peace talks for several months, there is no end in sight for the 10-month-old war.
In response to Vladimir Putin’s assertion that he is willing to discuss, Ukraine has stated that he “must return to reality.”
On a day when Russia launched rocket attacks on dozens of frontline towns, Mr. Putin told state channel Rossiya 1 that the Kremlin was “willing to dialogue with all parties concerned”
“However, that is up to them; we are not the ones refusing to negotiate; they are,” he argued.
On Christmas Day, the Russian president’s soldiers bombarded more than twenty-five communities along the Kupiansk-Lyman frontline and over twenty in Zaporizhia, according to Ukrainian officials.
At least ten rocket assaults also struck the Kharkiv district of Kupiansk.
The day prior, Moscow claimed to have killed approximately sixty Ukrainian soldiers.
Russia attempts to evade accountability
Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, tweeted: “Putin should return to reality.
Russia unilaterally attacked Ukraine and is currently murdering civilians. No other ‘countries, reasons, or geopolitics’ exist.
Russia does not desire dialogue but evades responsibility.
Russian officials were attempting to minimize an issue at the Engels air base in the Saratov region.
According to the Russian defense ministry, three personnel were killed when UAV debris fell on the scene, but the aircraft was not damaged by a Ukrainian drone strike.
Earlier, Roman Busargin, the local governor, had called allegations of an event “fake information.”
He remarked on Telegram, “There is no danger to the citizens.”
“All the claims concerning the city’s evacuation are blatantly false and originated from beyond the country’s borders. No damage to civilian infrastructure has been reported.”
This year, Russia has lost everything it could.
Ten months have passed since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
As there have been no meaningful peace discussions for months, there is little hope for a resolution.
Due to Russian strikes on the country’s infrastructure, millions of people in Ukraine are without electricity.
Mr. Zelenskyy has warned his people that Moscow will attempt to make the final days of 2022 difficult and dismal.
He said: “Russia has lost everything it could this year.
I am confident that darkness won’t hinder us from driving the occupiers to additional losses.
However, we must be prepared for any eventuality.
“Protection of our national interests”
Ukraine has stated that it will not negotiate until every Russian soldier has left its land, while Russia has stated that it will continue to battle until it achieves its objectives.
Mr. Putin asserted on Sunday that he is “defending our national interests and protecting our citizens.”
Mr. Putin also blames Kyiv and its Western backers for the lack of progress in peace negotiations, but he has made it clear that any conversations must be conducted on his terms.
This, according to Ukraine, would amount to acquiescing to Russian demands and admitting Mr. Putin’s annexation of four Ukrainian areas.
‘Posturing’
The U.S. Department of State has not reacted to Mr. Putin’s recent request for discussions, but after a similar speech by Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov in October, spokesman Ned Price described Russia’s approach as “posturing.”
“We do not view this as a legitimate or productive invitation to engage in the debate and diplomacy that is vitally necessary to end this horrible campaign of aggression,” he added.
