2024-07-05 06:15:31
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that he sees the Taliban as allies in the fight against terrorism, world agencies reported.
At a press conference in Astana for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, Putin said: “The Taliban are certainly our allies in the fight against terrorism, because every power is interested in its stability and the stability of the state it leads.” He made this statement after several attacks were carried out in Russia in recent months.
At the press conference, the Russian head of state said that he did not watch the pre-election debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump because he had enough work to do, but added that he watched fragments of the debate, Reuters and TASS reported.
“I saw some fragments, but I have enough work. That’s why I don’t particularly follow what’s happening there, especially the comments in the media, and they always have certain preferences,” said the Russian head of state.
Putin added that Moscow takes seriously the statements of former US President Donald Trump about his readiness to end the conflict in Ukraine, reported Reuters and TASS, quoted by BTA.
“We take very seriously the fact that Mr. Trump as a candidate for president of the [САЩ] declares that he is ready and willing to stop the war in Ukraine,” the Russian head of state said in response to journalistic questions.
Regarding Ukraine, Putin said: “We will not declare a ceasefire. We need to see irreversible steps on the part of Ukraine. Without such steps, a ceasefire is impossible,” Reuters reported.
He also added that it makes no sense for Russia to address the Ukrainian parliament when it comes to Moscow’s ideas for ending the conflict between the two countries, Reuters and TASS reported.
“Of course, it is possible to turn to the Verkhovna Rada, but in the conditions of usurpation of power by the ruling elite in Ukraine – it is meaningless, because the majority in the Rada is subordinate to this so-called ruling elite, which I mentioned,” he noted the Russian leader answering questions from journalists after the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Astana.
Putin said last month that Russia would end the war in Ukraine only if Kiev agreed to give up its NATO ambitions and cede all the territory of four provinces claimed by Moscow, Reuters recalled. Then Kiev quickly rejected these ideas and described them as tantamount to capitulation.
Regarding the US, the Russian president said that Russia would deploy medium-range missiles if the US did so and that Russia was ready to start producing them. Putin said that Moscow would rather mirror Washington’s actions than act first, Reuters added.
Constructive dialogue between Moscow and Washington is impossible during a heated election campaign for the US presidential elections, Putin also said, Reuters reported. He added that Russia will wait for the results of the US elections in November to see what the new leadership will do.