Russian President Vladimir Putin said he expects a US negotiating team to arrive in Moscow immediately after Washington reaches a deal with Iran on the war in the Middle East.
Speaking in an interview with Russian journalist Pavel Zarubin published by the Kremlin, Putin said, 'We anticipate that after the active phase on the Iran track ends, we will witness the arrival of US administration representatives with whom we have met multiple times in Moscow.'
Putin emphasized Moscow's openness to diplomatic contacts, saying, 'We are ready to continue negotiations and discuss all details.'
Response to Ukraine's cease-fire proposal
In a separate interview with a Russian television channel, the Russian leader assessed Ukraine's proposal to halt mutual long-range strikes as a step toward peace. According to Putin, the offer is an attempt to divert attention from Russia's goal of gaining full control over four regions.
Putin said, 'It is clear why this proposal was made; because our counterattacks reach deep into Ukrainian territory, are much stronger and, frankly, much more destructive.' Stating that Russia has no intention of 'saving the Kiev regime,' Putin claimed that Ukrainian attacks aim to divert attention from the main goals, which he described as 'the complete liberation of Donbas and Novorossiya regions.'
Fuel shortage admission
In another part of the interview, Putin acknowledged that repeated Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy infrastructure have caused 'some' fuel shortages in the country. 'The attacks on our infrastructure facilities naturally cause problems, that is quite normal. We are experiencing some difficulties now, but not at a critical level,' he said.
The Russian leader said the main task is to increase air defense capacity and ensure fuel supplies, especially to the Crimean Peninsula. Last Friday, Russian local authorities declared a regional state of emergency in Moscow-annexed Crimea to cope with severe fuel and power cuts caused by Ukrainian attacks.
Latest situation on the front
Meanwhile, clashes on the ground continue. Local authorities reported that at least four people were killed in Russian strikes on southeastern and northeastern Ukraine on Sunday. Zaporizhzhia Governor Ivan Fedorov announced on Telegram that two people were killed and 16 wounded in attacks on the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia.
Oleh Syniehubov, governor of the northeastern Kharkiv region, reported that a missile strike on the town of Zmiyiv killed one person, with two others including a child, and wounded eight people including two children. Russia has been conducting its full-scale military operation against Ukraine since February 24, 2022.
