Putin called statements that Russia is “losing the war” ridiculous

Claims that Russia is allegedly “losing the war” in Ukraine are ridiculous, since it is unclear then why the United States supplied long-range ATACMS cruise missiles to Kyiv. Russian President Vladimir Putin stated this at a press conference following the One Belt, One Road forum.

“Well, if Russia lost the war, then why supply ATACMS? Let [президент США Джо Байден] takes back ATACMS, all other weapons, sits down for pancakes, comes to tea party. If the war is lost, well, what are we talking about, then why ATACMS? Well, funny,” he said.

The Russian president also emphasized that Kyiv, if it wants a negotiation process, should not limit itself to “some theatrical gestures,” but first of all cancel the decree of the President of Ukraine prohibiting negotiations. Putin noted at the same time that some people in the Ukrainian leadership, who had recently called for a “strategic defeat” of Russia, now spoke “with a different voice.”

“They say that these problems need to be resolved through peaceful negotiations. This is the right transformation, transformation in the right direction <...>, I will praise you for this, but it is not enough. It is necessary to take concrete steps if there is a desire to negotiate,” he emphasized.

On October 17, it became known that the United States had supplied ATACMS long-range missiles to Ukraine. On the same day, this information was confirmed by Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky.

On October 18, German journalist Julian Roepke noted that the United States provided Ukraine with the original old version of the MGM-140 ATACMS missile with a classic inertial guidance system, but without GPS, since Russia has successfully repelled attacks from most GPS-guided weapons. Putin said journalists on October 18 also that Russia will be able to repel Ukrainian attacks with ATACMS missiles.

On October 4, 2022, Zelensky signed a decree refusing to negotiate with Russia while Putin is its president. Commenting on this document, press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov emphasized that Russia was a supporter of a diplomatic solution from the very beginning until the start of the special operation.

The Kremlin regularly declares its readiness for negotiations. At the same time, at the end of 2022, Peskov emphasized that Russia will not follow other people’s conditions, since it is guided only by its own goals and common sense. In September, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov statedthat Russia is ready to begin negotiations on Ukraine, but proposals for a ceasefire will not be considered due to the fact that Moscow has already been deceived once.

In February and March 2022, the parties held negotiations several times. Three meetings took place in Belarus, the fourth in Istanbul. After this, Kyiv pulled out of the negotiations and the process was frozen.