Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a fierce verbal attack on Europe, citing unacceptable demands that are hindering peace negotiations. Just before his meeting with Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, at the Kremlin, he dismissed European proposals as “unacceptable for Russia.” He also accused European leaders of “hindering” US proposals and insisted they “have no peaceful agenda.”
“If Europe wants to fight, we are ready now,” he added, as reported by Reuters.
Putin: show of strength and the issue of Ukrainian territories
“Pokrovsk is under the complete control of the Russian army,” the Russian president further claimed. Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk) was a strong fortified area of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and today is entirely in the hands of the Russian army, he stated characteristically. “Pokrovsk has particular significance, this constitutes an excellent base for achieving our goals,” the Russian president declared in a show of strength. Putin confirmed the invitation to foreign journalists, including Ukrainians, to visit Pokrovsk “and see everything with their own eyes.”
We will intensify strikes on Ukrainian shipping ports, we will take measures against tankers helping Ukraine, he warned. Putin stated that he hopes “Ukraine’s leaders will think about whether such practices are worth it.” “The Ukrainian leadership seems to be living on another planet,” he said ironically. “Kyiv is not dealing with current economic and military affairs. It is busy begging for money,” the Russian president added.
“Europe is hindering the American government from achieving peace in Ukraine,” he declared.
Threats of retaliation against Ukrainian ships
The Russian leader also threatened retaliation against Ukraine’s ports and ships, following Kyiv’s recent attack against several ships of Russia’s so-called fleet in the Black Sea.
Russia, he warned, will “intensify attacks against Ukrainian ports and ships entering them” in response to attacks against Russian tankers, which he characterized as “piracy.”
“The most radical solution is to cut Ukraine off from the sea, then piracy will be impossible in principle,” Putin also stated in his television interview.
He emphasized that Russia will intensify attacks on Ukrainian facilities and ships and will take measures against tankers from countries helping Ukraine.
It should be noted that Ukraine has carried out missile and drone attacks on the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, which have disrupted oil transportation.
