President Putin: War is a tragedy

(Dan Tri) – Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that any war and hostile action is a tragedy.

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with delegates attending the World Youth Festival in Sochi, Russia on March 6 (Photo: Reuters).

`Yes, the situation is very difficult, there are many problems and many hot spots,` President Putin said during a meeting with delegates attending the World Youth Festival in Russia on March 6.

`Here, we have conflicts with our neighboring neighbors. Hostilities are going on. Are there any more troublesome problems?`, Mr. Putin continued.

`It’s always a tragedy when people fight each other. Some people die, then they get injured…`, the Russian leader emphasized.

President Putin also criticized the West’s double standards regarding conflicts around the world.

`If they are allowed, why aren’t other countries allowed to protect their vital interests in the same way?` Putin asked.

The Russian President mentioned the West’s justification for military action in Yugoslavia.

`My counterparts often told me: ‘We did it without a Security Council resolution’. But the war has been going on there for many years. Eight years of bloodshed.`

On the same day, speaking at an event held within the framework of the World Youth Festival, Mr. Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for the Russian president, said there is no anti-American ideology in Russia, but Moscow does not like that

When asked by an American journalist about the current situation between Moscow and Washington, Mr. Peskov said: `We are very grateful that you are here today. That proves, sooner or later, realizing

`We have no anti-American ideology. We just don’t like high-ranking American officials and politicians constantly attacking our president. America is currently the strongest country in the world. They are great people.`

In an online speech at the G20 summit last November, President Putin responded to comments from other speakers at the conference who said they were `shocked` by the `aggression`

Putin acknowledged that the conflict in Ukraine, like any other military conflict, is a `tragedy for people, for families and for the country as a whole.`

However, Mr. Putin emphasized that Russia has never refused any peace negotiations with Ukraine and in fact, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky himself signed a decree banning any negotiations with Russia.

Russia and Ukraine have not sat at the negotiating table since the talks in Istanbul, Türkiye at the end of March 2022, a month after the conflict broke out.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that at the present time, Ukraine does not see any prospect of peace talks with Russia to end the conflict that has lasted more than two years.