12 September 2023 – Putin- Ukraine needs to lift its decree for talks.mp4
Notes:
Source: https://www.youtube.com/live/5oH5AYTBdU8?si=Oh5B_TZBIdq8cMOt&t=7775
Interviewer: ‘A question about Ukraine: just recently, Antony Blinken, the State Secretary, visited Ukraine. He gave an interview to ABC, and in that interview, he said that Ukraine is willing to engage in talks with Russia. He added that the terms and the future border are going to depend on the opinion of Ukraine. He also said that peace talks are currently unattainable because it takes two to tango, and currently, Russia does not want to talk. Can you comment on that?
Interviewer: ‘A question about Ukraine: just recently, Antony Blinken, the State Secretary, visited Ukraine. He gave an interview to ABC, and in that interview, he said that Ukraine is willing to engage in talks with Russia. He added that the terms and the future border are going to depend on the opinion of Ukraine. He also said that peace talks are currently unattainable because it takes two to tango, and currently, Russia does not want to talk. Can you comment on that?
And secondly, where does this position come from? Did the State Secretary hear your speech in Sochi when you said that the current counteroffensive had failed?’
Putin: ‘Why is the Secretary of State making such pronouncements on behalf of Ukraine? Well, you should ask the last bit of him. As far as the negotiation process is concerned, if the US believes that Ukraine is ready to talk, then Ukraine needs to lift the presidential decree that prevents Ukraine from engaging in talks. There is a presidential decree, and by the decree, he prevented – he banned himself and all the rest – from entering in talks. Blinken says that Ukraine is ready. Well, then this decree to start with needs to be lifted.’
Decree: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/zelenskiy-decree-rules-out-ukraine-talks-with-putin-impossible-2022-10-04/
Putin: ‘Why is the Secretary of State making such pronouncements on behalf of Ukraine? Well, you should ask the last bit of him. As far as the negotiation process is concerned, if the US believes that Ukraine is ready to talk, then Ukraine needs to lift the presidential decree that prevents Ukraine from engaging in talks. There is a presidential decree, and by the decree, he prevented – he banned himself and all the rest – from entering in talks. Blinken says that Ukraine is ready. Well, then this decree to start with needs to be lifted.’
Decree: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/zelenskiy-decree-rules-out-ukraine-talks-with-putin-impossible-2022-10-04/