Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a speech at the 23rd Congress of the United Russia party in Moscow on Saturday that the Kyiv administration was intensifying its attacks as the situation on the battlefield became more difficult.
Speaking at the congress, which was held ahead of the State Duma elections planned for September, Putin said the “special military operation” in Ukraine was continuing. Putin argued that the difficulties on the battlefield were driving the Kyiv administration to launch harsher and more ruthless attacks, claiming that this demonstrated the “Nazi essence” of the structure Russia says it is fighting.
Lavrov argues that Western efforts to influence the elections will fail
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told journalists during the congress that Western countries would try to obstruct the State Duma elections but would not succeed.
Lavrov accused the West of “declaring war” on Russia through Ukraine. Arguing that there was no interlocutor in Europe with whom an agreement could be reached, Lavrov said Western countries expected Moscow to approach them for an agreement. He said Russia would not go to Europe for that purpose.
Moscow rejects Europe’s proposal to deploy stabilization forces
Lavrov also rejected the possibility of Europe deploying “stabilization forces” to Ukraine if a ceasefire were reached. He said such an arrangement would amount to accepting a ceasefire that would preserve what Moscow calls the “Nazi regime.”
Lavrov argued that such an agreement would enable the deployment of the “Nazi cells” that he claimed had re-emerged in Europe in recent years and spread to Ukraine. He further claimed that halting the fighting along the contact line would give Ukraine time to rearm.
How the Russia-Ukraine conflict began
Russia’s military assault on Ukraine began on February 24, 2022. Moscow is making Kyiv’s abandonment of efforts to join Western military structures a condition for ending the attacks. Kyiv regards this demand as interference in its internal affairs.
