Korean Media: The US and Russia's Peace Negotiations Have Not Reduced the Differences... Putin Says "We Might Immediately Go to War with the EU"

¬ Putin Meets with U.S. Middle East Envoy for 5 Hours, Fails to Reach Consensus on Ukraine Territorial Issues

To negotiate a peace plan for Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin and representatives of Donald Trump's administration, including U.S. Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff, held long talks in Moscow, but failed to narrow the differences. The specific negotiation process was not disclosed, but it is said that both sides had different positions on the issue of sovereignty over the territories occupied by Russia.

On the 3rd, Reuters reported that after the talks, which lasted about five hours from the previous night until midnight, Russian foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov said: "President Putin and Envoy Witkoff had a very useful and constructive conversation. However, we have not yet found a compromise point (on the territorial issue). Both sides agreed that there is still a lot of work to be done. We will continue to maintain contact." This indicated the willingness to further discuss. Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of Trump and former White House senior advisor, also attended the meeting.

It is reported that the Russian side said it could partially accept the American peace plan, but without compromise on the occupied territory, it would be difficult to reach an agreement. Currently, the Russian army has controlled about 5,000 square kilometers of land in the eastern Ukrainian Donbas region, and Russia reiterated its position that it is impossible to achieve a ceasefire without recognizing sovereignty over the area.

Initially, the United States proposed a draft peace plan containing 28 clauses, including recognition of Russia's sovereignty over the occupied areas, Ukrainian disarmament, and restrictions on joining NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization). However, due to the opposition of Ukraine and major European countries to this one-sidedly favorable plan for Russia, the talks focused on a revised version reduced to 20 clauses.

Prior to the meeting on the same day, Putin expressed his stance of being ready to fight at any time against the European side, stating that "the U.S.-led peace efforts are being hindered." Putin said: "(Europe) is modifying the peace proposal with demands that Russia absolutely cannot accept, hindering the entire peace process. If Europe wants to go to war with us, we are prepared to go to war immediately. That is unquestionable."

After the meeting, the United States did not make a separate statement. Witkoff visited the U.S. Embassy in Moscow after the meeting and then left Moscow. On the afternoon of the 2nd, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News in an open interview: "No one is a winner in this war. In the battle for land equivalent to 20% of the Donetsk region, Russia loses 7,000 soldiers every week, and Ukraine's losses are obvious. We are watching whether there is a way to end the war with a method acceptable to both sides, protecting Ukraine's future. Although we have made some progress, we have not yet reached this goal."

Source: Chosun Ilbo

Original: toutiao.com/article/1850551984133196/

Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.