Russia tells Ukraine to 'fulfil our proposal otherwise army will decide'

Kyiv: A day after Russian President Vladimir Putin said he is open to negotiate with all parties involved in the war of Ukraine, his Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov gave an ultimatum to Kyiv. He warned Kyiv to fulfil Moscow’s proposals, including surrendering territory Russia controls, or its army would decide the issue.

“Our proposals for the demilitarisation 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,” Lavrov was quoted as saying by state news agency TASS.

“The point is simple: Fulfil them for your own good. Otherwise, the issue will be decided by the Russian army,” he added.

In an interview to Rossiya 1 state television aired on Sunday, Putin said: “We are ready to negotiate with everyone involved about acceptable solutions, but that is up to them – we are not the ones refusing to negotiate, they are.”

Putin also said Russia was acting in the “right direction” in Ukraine because the West, led by the United States, was trying to cleave Russia apart.

“I believe that we are acting in the right direction, we are defending our national interests, the interests of our citizens, our people. And we have no other choice but to protect our citizens,” Putin said.

However, Ukraine and its Western allies have dismissed Putin’s offer to talk with Russian forces continuing missile and rockets attack on Ukrainian towns.

Meanwhile, Ukraine says that it will fight until Russia withdraws troops.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to take over its neighbour began on 24 February with Putin calling it a “special operation” to “denazify” and demilitarise Ukraine, which he said was a threat to Russia.

The Ukraine war is now in its eleventh month. The Russian forces have been engaged in fierce fighting in the east and south of Ukraine to defend the lands Moscow proclaimed it annexed in September.

With inputs from agencies

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