MOSCOW, October 23. /TASS/. Russia is not preparing for war with Europe, while the statements about the "threat of the war" with Russia are "political schizophrenia," President Vladimir Putin told Vesti journalist Pavel Zarubin.
In its contacts with Washington, Moscow reached an agreement to be ready to resume Russia-US-Ukraine talks that will focus on ensuring the security of Russia and Ukraine once peace is achieved.
Moreover, Putin spoke about the situation in the Ukrainian army: the number of deserters there is half a million, if not more. The motivation of Ukrainian citizens is declining.
TASS has gathered the main statements by the Russian leader.
Russia is not preparing for war with Europe, the president said.
"If we look at the political processes underway in Europe, we will see that the peoples of Europe don’t want to fight with Russia. I would like us to be heard: we don’t want [to fight with Europe] either," he said.
EU statements about the "threat of the war" with Russia are "political schizophrenia": "This [Donbass and Novorossiya’s decision to reunify with Russia], as is well known, became the reason or the pretext for some of our ill-wishers abroad - primarily, as we see today, in European countries - to launch an anti-Russian campaign in all directions. Now they are also constantly talking about a threat from Russia and the start of preparations for the war with Russia, which, in my view, is a kind of political schizophrenia," Putin said.
"This too shall pass," he added.
Ukrainian conflict and trilateral talks
Russia called for a peaceful solution to the Ukraine conflict from the very beginning, "from the very first days, in 2014," offering its help to facilitate a negotiated solution, but Kiev resorted to force instead.
The Russian leader also mentioned the Minsk agreements. "We have always sought to ensure that they could reach an agreement with the part of Ukraine that does not accept coup d'etat. However, they refused to do so," he said.
For its part, Russia does not want war, it’s Kiev that wants to go to war with Moscow, "let it have it," Putin stressed.
That said, the war against Russia in order to weaken it cannot be Ukraine’s national idea. "Certain countries of Europe, for example, or from other global regions want to wage war against Russia in order to weaken it. But is this really a national idea for Ukraine itself?" the president asked rhetorically.
Defeating Russia on the battlefield is impossible, and inflicting a strategic defeat on it is improbable, Putin emphasized, adding that it is "better to live in friendship" with Russia: "I think people who have sought to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia - and, unfortunately, such people still exist today - will come to terms with reality and understand that it is better to live in friendship with Russia. This is in the interests of their nations."
Regarding trilateral talks on Ukraine, Russia has reached an agreement with the US to be ready to resume them. They will focus on ensuring security of both Russia and Ukraine once peace is achieved, Putin stated.
According to the president, US Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff said at the October 21 meeting that, when discussing issues related to ensuring "the future security of both Ukraine and Russia, it will be surely necessary to address the European security architecture as well." "Basically, I agree with that," Putin added.
Prior to the start of the Russia-US-Ukraine talks scheduled for November, Moscow will be monitoring the situation "in the coming days."
Russia remains ready to make agreements and seek solutions to the situation surrounding Ukraine, Putin said, adding that Russia has always called for settling the conflict peacefully. However, if Kiev wants a different solution to the conflict, that is its will. Moscow will continue the special military operation and achieve all its goals through it, the president noted.
Loss of motivation among Ukrainians and 500,000 deserters in Ukrainian army
Ukrainian citizens are being picked up off the streets like stray dogs and forcibly conscripted, which results in lower motivation among Ukrainians. "This is leading to severe consequences as troops' motivation declines. Yes, there are still formations made up of motivated nationalists. There are some. But it’s not always them fighting on the frontline. Those who have been forcibly rounded up are being thrown onto the frontline," Putin said.
The president pointed to the fact that the Kiev regime and its Western sponsors are treating Ukrainian citizens as expendable. "They [in the West] have always said they are ready to fight until the last Ukrainian is standing. And what about the Ukrainian authorities and their attitude to their own people? Do they share the approach of those abroad who want to fight with us and treat Ukrainians as expendable? They are their fellow citizens, after all," Putin noted.
Meanwhile about 500,000 servicemen have already deserted from the Ukrainian armed forces, but the real figure may be even higher, the Russian leader added. "Well, the figures are almost official: [there are] half a million deserters. Officially, over 300,000 criminal cases have been initiated, but in reality - and they are already talking about this almost publicly as well - it is 500,000, half a million," he said.
On territories lost by Ukraine
The lands lost by Kiev are not Ukrainian territory, those are historically Russian lands. Putin believes it is inappropriate for Kiev to speak of any territorial losses after Donbass and Novorossiya residents voted to reunite with Russia.
"The people who live there voted for, first, state independence, and, second - I would like to point out - for reunification with Russia," the Russian leader stated. "This is why I think it’s inappropriate to speak of any territorial losses. Still, it’s a debatable issue, and debates can go on indefinitely," he added.
Russians and Ukrainians genetically one people
Russians and Ukrainians are not merely close, they are genetically one people, Putin stressed. That said, the head of state expressed respect for the fact that a political division of the broader Russian nation occurred historically.
"Someone has a different opinion, fine," he admitted. "Alright, we agree, this is how the history of Russia shaped out, and such are the realities of today. But everything is negotiable."