Putin: Russia’s goals in Ukraine unchanged, no peace until they’re achieved
Al JazeeraRussia’s goals in Ukraine remain unchanged and there will be no peace until they are achieved, President Vladimir Putin has said in his first end-of-year news conference since the offensive began. “As for demilitarisation, they don’t want to negotiate, so we are then forced to take other measures, including military measures,” Putin said. On the ongoing war and relations with the West, Putin said: “The unbridled desire to creep towards our borders, taking Ukraine into NATO, all this led to this tragedy … They forced us into these actions.” Meanwhile on Russia’s relations with China, he said, “the level of our ties with China is at an all-time high”. On the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, Putin said he was not against Russians competing, but that the country should ponder whether it should if the event is designed to portray Russian sport as “dying”.