A day after Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was open to talks with Ukraine, the country’s foreign minister reacted angrily, saying Kyiv and the West wanted to destroy his nation and that Kiev must comply with Moscow’s demands or face the wrath of its army.
With his forces pounding Ukrainian towns with missiles and rockets and Moscow continuing to demand that Kyiv recognise its conquest of a fifth of the country, Kyiv and its Western allies have rejected Putin’s offer to talk.
Kiev declares that it will fight until Russia leaves.
“Our proposals for the demilitarization and denazification of the territories controlled by the regime, the elimination of threats to Russia’s security emanating from there, including our new lands, are well known to the enemy,” state news agency TASS quoted Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying late on Monday.
“The point is simple: Fulfil them for your own good. Otherwise, the issue will be decided by the Russian army.”
Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, calling it a “special operation” to “denazify” and demilitarise Ukraine, which he said was a threat to Russia.
Kyiv and the West say Putin’s invasion was merely an imperialist land grab.
The United States and its allies have imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia for its invasion and sent billions of dollars in assistance to the Ukrainian government.