Russian President Vladimir Putin said on the 19th (local time) that Ukraine is not yet ready to discuss territorial issues.

At the annual press conference and call-in event The results of the year held at Gostiny Dvor in Moscow that day, President Putin said Ukraine is not yet showing a willingness to make territorial concessions.

Putin Vladimir, the president of Russia, gestures while answering questions at the annual press conference at the Gostiny Dvor forum hall in Moscow on the 19th. /Courtesy of EPA Yonhap

He opened the briefing by addressing the Ukraine issue as the first topic and noted, "So far we have not seen such readiness." He added, "Ukraine basically refuses to end the conflict by peaceful means."

However, he said, "Russia is ready to end the conflict," reiterating that the "root cause" must be resolved first. In June last year, President Putin set conditions for talks that included the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops and the abandonment of joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

These are conditions Ukraine cannot easily accept, but Russia is pressing them hard, making them a core sticking point in the talks currently mediated by the United States.

Regarding the frontline situation, he said, "Russian forces are advancing along the entire front, and the enemy is retreating in all directions," adding, "Russian forces will achieve additional successes by the end of the year."

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