Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that the US President Donald Trump's administration is listening to Moscow’s justifications for its invasion of Ukraine, claiming the two sides have reached a “mutual understanding” even as Washington warns of “severe consequences” if Russia stalls on peace efforts.
“The (Trump) administration is listening to us,” Putin said during his visit to China, drawing a contrast with former US President Joe Biden, whom he accused of ignoring Moscow’s arguments.
“Now we see this mutual understanding, it’s noticeable. We are very happy about this and hope this constructive dialogue will continue,” he added, as quoted by AP, during a meeting with Slovakian President Robert Fico.
Putin suggested there may be room for progress on postwar security guarantees for Ukraine. “It seems to me that there is an opportunity to find consensus,” he said. While insisting that Moscow would never accept Nato membership for Ukraine, he noted he had “never objected to Ukraine joining the European Union.”
The Russian leader made the remarks while in Beijing for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, where he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The SCO, once a regional security forum, has grown in influence and is often viewed as a counterweight to US power in Central Asia. After the summit, Putin held bilateral talks with Xi and is scheduled to attend a military parade on Wednesday marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
On the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe’s largest atomic facility and a major concern in the war, Putin said Russia “can work with our American partners” to ensure safety. He added that Moscow could also work with Ukraine on the issue “if favourable conditions arise," reported AP.
Despite Putin’s conciliatory tone, Washington is signaling pressure. Trump has voiced frustration with Moscow’s lack of engagement in US-led peace efforts and has warned of “severe consequences” if progress stalls.
Western leaders, however, accuse Putin of using dialogue to buy time while Russia’s larger army pushes to overwhelm Ukrainian defenses.
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