Vladimir Putin has said that Russia will fight ‘until the last Ukrainian dies’ if it needs to and warned peace will not happen until Kyiv withdraws its troops.
Diplomatic efforts to defuse Europe’s deadliest war since World War II have been stepped up in recent weeks, with various peace plans emerging from different sides, including the US and Europe.
Putin declared on Thursday that if Ukraine fails to pull out of the territory Moscow claims as its own, Russia will have to achieve its objectives by military force.
‘Some people demand to deep on fighting until the last Ukrainian dies, Russia is ready for that’, he warned.
‘Ukrainian troops must withdraw from the territories they hold, and then the fighting will cease. ‘If they don’t leave, then we shall achieve this by armed means. That’s it,’ Putin added as he noted that Russian forces were advancing in Ukraine at a faster pace.
He added that Russia does not plan to attack Europe, deeming the suggestion ‘ridiculous’.
The Russian army has been slowly but steadily grinding through eastern Ukraine in costly battles against outnumbered and outgunned Ukrainian forces.
‘If Ukrainian forces leave the territories they hold, then we will stop combat operations,’ Putin said at a press conference in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. ‘If they don’t, then we will achieve it by military means.’
