Putin: Draft US-Ukraine plan could be basis for peace deal

President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that the outlines of a draft peace plan negotiated between the United States and Ukraine could become the basis of future agreements to end the conflict in Ukraine, but if not, Russia will continue fighting.

"In general, we agree that this can be the basis for future agreements," Putin said, adding that a version of the plan negotiated by the United States and Ukraine in Geneva had been handed over to Russia.

He said the United States was taking Russia's position into account, but some things still needed to be discussed. He added that if Europe wanted a guarantee that Russia would not attack it, Moscow was ready to give such a guarantee.

Russia, according to Putin, is still being told that it should stop the fighting. "Ukrainian troops must withdraw from the territories they hold, and then the fighting will stop. If they do not leave, we will achieve this by armed means. It's done," Putin declared. Russian forces, he said, are advancing faster in Ukraine.

The president also said that he considers the Ukrainian leadership illegitimate and therefore it is legally impossible to sign an agreement with Ukraine. It is important, he said, that any agreement be recognized by the international community and that this community also recognize Russia's territorial gains in Ukraine.

He also rejected claims that US envoy Steve Witkoff was biased in favour of Moscow in the Ukraine peace talks, calling it nonsense.

Meanwhile, Andriy Yermak, head of President Volodymyr Zelensky's office, wrote on the Telegram platform on Thursday that Ukrainian and U.S. officials would continue to work on a peace plan.

"At the end of this week, the joint work of the Ukrainian and American delegations will continue in order to further develop the result achieved in Geneva. It is important not to lose momentum and work quickly," he said.

(reuters, lud)