Reference News, December 18 report: According to AFP, on December 17, Russian President Putin said that Moscow "certainly" would achieve its goals in the offensive against Ukraine, including seizing territories it claims belong to itself.
The report said that Putin, during a meeting with defense ministry officials in Moscow, stated: "The objectives of the special military operation will certainly be achieved." Putin used the Kremlin's term for the four-year-long campaign.
He said: "We hope to achieve this goal through diplomatic means and eliminate the root causes of the conflict." He vowed that if "hostile countries and their foreign supporters refuse to engage in substantive discussions," Russia would "liberate" its historical territories "through military means."
The report also said that at the time of Putin's tough remarks, Ukraine claimed that after two days of talks with the U.S. presidential envoy in Berlin, both sides had made "progress" on Kyiv's future security guarantees. However, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said there were still differences on which territories Ukraine must cede to Russia.
Earlier on the 17th, the Kremlin said that Russia was waiting for the United States' information on the results of the Berlin talks.
Kremlin spokesman Peskov told reporters: "We hope that once they are ready, our American counterparts will inform us of the results of their talks with Ukrainians and Europeans." (Translated by Xu Yanhong)
Original: toutiao.com/article/7585068746658693675/
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