Russian President Vladimir Putin said he expects a team of US negotiators to arrive in Moscow immediately after Washington reaches an agreement with Iran on the war in the Middle East.
Speaking in an interview with Russian journalist Pavel Zarubin, published by the Kremlin, Putin said: "We anticipate that after the active phase on the Iran track ends, we will witness the arrival of representatives of the US administration, with whom we have met many times in Moscow before."
Putin emphasized Moscow's openness to diplomatic contacts, saying, "We are ready to continue negotiations and address all details."
Response to Ukraine's ceasefire proposal
In a separate interview with a Russian television channel, the Russian leader assessed Ukraine's proposal to halt mutual long-range strikes as a step toward peace. According to Putin, the offer is an attempt to divert attention from Russia's goal of establishing full control over four regions.
Putin said, "It is clear why this proposal was made; because our counterstrikes reach deep into Ukrainian territory, are much stronger and, frankly, much more destructive." Stating that Russia has no intention of "saving the Kiev regime," Putin alleged that Ukrainian attacks aim to divert attention from the main goals, which he described as the "complete liberation of the Donbas and Novorossiya regions."
Fuel shortage admission
In another part of the interview, Putin acknowledged that there is "some" fuel shortage in the country due to repeated Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy infrastructure. "Attacks on these infrastructure facilities naturally cause problems. We are experiencing some difficulties at the moment, but not at a critical level," he said.
The Russian leader said the main task is to increase air defense capacity and ensure fuel supply, especially to the Crimean Peninsula. Last Friday, Russian local authorities declared a regional state of emergency in Moscow-annexed Crimea to deal with severe fuel and power outages caused by Ukrainian attacks.
Latest situation on the front
Meanwhile, clashes on the ground continue. Local authorities reported that at least four people were killed in Russian attacks on southeastern and northeastern Ukraine on Sunday. Zaporizhzhia Governor Ivan Fedorov announced on Telegram that two people were killed and 16 injured in attacks on the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia.
The governor of the northeastern Kharkiv region, Oleh Siniehubov, reported that a missile strike on the town of Zmiyiv killed one person, including a child, and injured eight, including two children. Russia has been conducting its large-scale military operation against Ukraine since February 24, 2022.
