38m ago 06:50
Putin ready for 'diplomatic solutions' but Russia’s interests ‘non-negotiable’
Russian President Vladimir Putin says Moscow is ready to look for “diplomatic solutions” over Ukraine but stressed that the country’s interests were non-negotiable.
In a video address on Wednesday morning to mark the Defender of the Fatherland Day, a public holiday in Russia, Agence France-Press cites Putin as saying:
Our country is always open for direct and honest dialogue, for the search for diplomatic solutions to the most complex problems.
The interests of Russia, the security of our citizens, are non-negotiable for us.”
In the video address, Putin congratulated the country’s men, praised the battle-readiness of the Russian army and said he was certain of the “professionalism” of the military and that they will stand up for the country’s national interests.
His speech follows Russia’s unanimous approval to deploy “peacekeepers” to two self-proclaimed republics in Luhansk and Donetsk now recognised by Moscow as independent.
Putin said Russia would continue to develop state-of-the-art weapons.We will continue to develop advanced weapon systems, including hypersonic and those based on new physical principles, and expand the use of advanced digital technologies and elements of artificial intelligence.
Such complexes are truly the weapons of the future, which significantly increase the combat potential of our armed forces.”
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