Putin Says Russia Ready for Ukraine Talks, Calls Europe’s War Warnings ‘Political Schizophrenia’

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow was ready to resume trilateral talks with Ukraine and the United States, while dismissing European warnings about Russia as “political schizophrenia” and claiming the continent could not strategically defeat his country.

Speaking to a Vesti journalist on Thursday, Putin said discussions with American officials had produced agreement on Russia’s readiness to return to consultations, TASS reported.

“As far as our negotiations with US administration officials are concerned—yes, we agreed that we are ready to resume our trilateral consultations,” he said.

Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov had earlier said the talks involving Russia, Ukraine and the US would resume after November 10.

PUTIN TARGETS EUROPE’S WAR WARNINGS

Putin accused European leaders of repeatedly raising the prospect of a confrontation with Russia, while insisting that neither side wanted war with the other.

“Europe’s constant fearmongering about prepping for ‘war’ with Russia is some kind of political schizophrenia,” he said.

Despite European statements about a Russian threat, Putin claimed, it was clear that Europe could not defeat Russia strategically.

“People who wanted to defeat Russia, in previous centuries, just like now, will realise it’s better to be friends with Russia,” he said.

“It is obvious that nations of Europe do not want to go to war with Russia, and we do not want to go to war with them.”

UKRAINE A ‘BROTHERLY NATION’

Discussing efforts to negotiate an end to the conflict, Putin described Ukraine as a “brotherly nation” and claimed that genetic studies showed Russians and Ukrainians were “one people”.

“Today, we’re going to try our best to negotiate and look for a solution to the Ukraine conflict,” he said.

He also attacked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government, accusing it of treating Ukrainians as “cannon fodder” and alleging that people were being picked up from the streets for frontline service.

The supplied report did not include a Ukrainian response to those allegations.

US ENVOY’S DIPLOMATIC PUSH

Putin’s remarks followed talks with US special envoy Steve Witkoff in St Petersburg on Wednesday, aimed at advancing proposals to end the war and opening a path towards broader negotiations.

The meeting followed Witkoff’s discussions with Zelenskyy in Norway on Tuesday.

According to CNN, footage showed Witkoff describing the Oslo meeting as “productive” and indicating that reviewing its outcomes was central to his discussions with Putin.

With inputs from ANI