Stoltenberg reacts to Putin's blackmail over "truce"

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg responded to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's statements about ending the war by saying that it is not Ukraine that should withdraw its troops. He reminded that it is Russia that should withdraw its troops from the occupied territories of Ukraine.

"This is not a Ukrainian proposal. This only demonstrates that this proposal is not bona fide and actually means that Russia wants to achieve its military goals, counting on a much larger territory than it has been able to occupy so far," he said during a press conference on Friday, June 14.

Putin's statement shows that the occupiers hope that Ukraine will give up some of its territories, Stoltenberg emphasized. According to the NATO Secretary General, this is why international partners continue to support Ukraine.

"This is not an offer of peace, it is an offer of more aggression, more occupation, and it also demonstrates that Russia wants to control Ukraine. This has been the goal of the Russians since the beginning of this war," the NATO Secretary General said.

On June 14, before the Peace Summit, Putin announced his "conditions" for ending the war against Ukraine. He fantasized that in order to end the fighting, Ukraine should "withdraw its troops" from the territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions within the administrative borders. He also said that Ukraine should announce its refusal to join NATO.

Author - Ihor Lontkivskyi 14.06.24