Putin wants peace deal with Ukraine based on reality on the ground, EU condemns North Korea’s involvement: day 974 of the war
Russian President Vladimir Putin argued this Thursday that a peace agreement with Ukraine must be based on the reality of the battlefield, where Moscow’s forces control almost 20% of Ukrainian territory.
“We are ready to consider any peace talks based on local realities. We are not ready to do anything more”, he declared at a press conference in the Russian city of Kazan, where the BRICS summit ended todaya bloc originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa and since expanded to include more countries.
“The ball is in their court,” said Putin, commenting on the possibility of negotiations, although he insisted that Kiev refuses to dialogue with Moscow.
During the BRICS summit, representatives of China, India and Brazil appealed to the Kremlin leader for an immediate relief from violence in Ukraine and for the rapid start of peace talks. “Everyone is focused on putting an end to the conflict as quickly as possible and preferably peacefully,” commented the Russian leader.
António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations
Anadolu
On Wednesday, Ukrainian diplomacy welcomed the lack of references in the final declaration of the BRICS summit to “Russian neo-imperialist vision of changing the world order and global security architecture through its aggression against Ukraine”.
In a statement, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that the paragraph dedicated to Ukraine in the summit declaration is limited to mentioning the national positions of the participating countries and “their commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, as well as to a peaceful agreement and diplomacy” to end the conflict started by Russia in February 2022.
In Kazan, the Russian President expressed gratitude to all partners for paying attention to the Ukrainian conflict and “looking for a way to resolve it”.
Regarding the current situation on the combat front, where Russian troops have made important progress in recent weeks, Putin stated that the Russian Army “acts firmly in all directions” and is advancing “in all sectors of the contact line”. . In particular, the Russian President referred to the situation in the Kursk border region, invaded by Ukrainian forces on August 6.
“[Os militares russos] are actively working on the Kursk front. Some units of the Ukrainian army, including in the Kursk region, are blocked and surrounded. There are approximately 2,000 soldiers,” Putin said.
Volodymyr Zelensky, em Bruxelas
Jean Catuffe
EU condemns North Korea’s involvement, China is “unaware” of movements
The European Union (EU) said today that it was “deeply alarmed” by North Korea’s decision to send military personnel to fight for Russia in Ukraine and warned that the community bloc will coordinate a response with partners.
Em statementthe High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, recalled that Pyongyang’s decision “constitutes a serious violation of international law, including the most fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter”. “This hostile unilateral act by North Korea has consequences for European and global peace and security,” he warned.
The head of European diplomacy condemned on behalf of the European Union the “deepening military cooperation and arms transfer” between the two countries, which is a “flagrant violation of multiple” United Nations resolutions.
Borrell said Russia sent a “clear message” by deepening military cooperation with North Korea and letting North Korean troops fight in Ukraine: “Despite declaring that it is ready to negotiate [um cessar-fogo]Russia is not truly interested in a just, comprehensive and lasting peace.”
The EU high representative left a warning: “The European Union will coordinate with international partners on this issue, including on responses”.
Vladimir Putin visiting North Korea in June
Contributor
China today said it was “not aware” of the alleged presence of North Korean soldiers fighting in the Russian ranks in the war in Ukraine.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a press conference that Chinese authorities “have always maintained a consistent and clear position” on the conflict. And he expressed his hope that “all parties will strive to defuse the situation and commit to a political solution”.
According to the South Korean secret services, Pyongyang has already sent 3,000 soldiers to Russia, where they are training for combat, although, according to Seoul and Kiev, North Korea could mobilize up to 12,000 soldiers.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin said on Wednesday that North Korean troops had effectively been sent to the front line, although he did not mention numbers.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, China has maintained an ambiguous position, calling for respect for the “territorial integrity of all countries”, including Ukraine, and attention to “the legitimate concerns of all countries”, in reference to Russia .
China and North Korea celebrate their “year of friendship” this year, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, but exchanges between the two countries in 2024 were limited, at a time when bilateral relations would have cooled, coinciding with the strong rapprochement between Pyongyang and Moscow. However, China remains North Korea’s main strategic and commercial partner, with which it shares a border of more than 1,400 kilometers.
Other news:
⇒ “More than 19 thousand Ukrainian children” have been illegally deported to Russia since February 2022, “an act witnessed by the world that was not the target of any action”, lamented Olena Zelenska this Thursday. The First Lady of Ukraine was present at the 9th edition of the Estoril Conferences held at Nova SBE collegein Carcavelos, Lisbon;
⇒ This Thursday, Russian deputies approved the 2025-2027 budget bill in first reading, which foresees a 30% increase in military spending next year, in line with the Kremlin’s policy focused on the war effort. Defense spending will reach almost 13,500 billion rubles (about 130 billion euros) in 2025, according to the bill. Russia’s military budget had already increased by almost 70% in one year, in 2024, this year representing 8.7% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP);
⇒ The President of Belarus warned on Wednesday that Russia could resort to the “most dangerous weapon in its arsenal”, referring to nuclear weapons, if NATO enters Ukraine, as Kiev suggested after the alleged presence of North Korean troops in the conflict. “I don’t think the Russian military and leaders need the North Koreans,” said Alexander Lukashenko, on his way to the BRICS summit;
⇒ Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) reported Mongolia to the watchdog for “failing to comply with a request” for the arrest of Russian President Vladimir Putin when he traveled to the country in September. it was concluded that the country “did not comply with the request for cooperation”, contradicting the Rome Statute, the court’s founding treaty, and preventing the ICC from exercising “its functions and powers” as a judicial body.
