In a recent interview with Sky News Arabia, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia expects Ukraine to officially recognize the results of the so-called “referendums” conducted in the fall of 2022 in the temporarily occupied territories — namely the so-called “DPR,” “LPR,” and the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. Following these “votes,” the Kremlin declared these areas part of the Russian Federation, reports Baltimore Chronicle citing RBC.
Putin emphasized that Ukraine’s refusal to acknowledge these “results” creates a risk of renewed large-scale armed conflict. He also declared that long-term regional stability is only possible if Ukraine adopts a neutral status — including formal rejection of any military alliance memberships and a commitment to abstain from acquiring nuclear weapons.
“I hope that Ukraine’s current leadership will act based on national interests rather than the interests of third parties,” Putin said. He also stated that Ukraine deserves a better future than being used as a tool by foreign forces working against Russia.
Earlier we wrote that Europe concerned over Trump’s stance after Putin call.