The russian dictator putin stated that new negotiations between russia and Ukraine could take place after June 22. He said this last night, June 18, during a meeting with representatives of global news agencies.
According to him, the negotiation process has continued since the meetings in Istanbul. "Our negotiation teams are in contact with each other. I just asked Medinsky, and he said he spoke with his partner from Kyiv just today. They are essentially agreeing to meet after June 22", - putin said.
At the same time, he threatened that if Ukraine does not want to negotiate with russia now, the terms proposed by moscow may worsen.
According to the dictator, he is personally ready to meet, including with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, when it is time to “put a period” on the results of the negotiations, but he couldn't help throwing in doubts about Zelensky’s “legitimacy”.
"We are ready to meet, and by the way, I said—I am ready to meet with everyone, including Zelensky. Yes. That’s not the issue. If the Ukrainian state trusts someone to conduct negotiations—by all means, let it be Zelensky. But the issue is not that. The issue is—who will be signing the documents", - said putin.
He also called reports claiming that russia plans to attack European countries and NATO “lies and nonsense”.
"This myth that russia is planning to attack Europe, NATO countries, is the very same incredible lie they are trying to make the people of Western Europe believe", - said the dictator. "But we understand that this is nonsense", - added the head of the russian federation.