Vladimir Putin urges US to push Ukraine to sit for talks

Vladimir Putin. Pic/AP

Russian President Vladimir Putin used an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson to urge Washington to recognise Moscow's interests and persuade Ukraine to have talks. Putin also said Russia is ready to negotiate a potential prisoner exchange that would free Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was detained last March on espionage charges he denies, and hinted that Moscow wants the release of its agent imprisoned in Germany.

Most of the interview focused on Ukraine, where the war is nearing the two-year mark. Putin repeated his claim that his invasion of Ukraine, which Kyiv and its allies described as an unprovoked act of aggression, was necessary to protect Russian speakers in Ukraine and prevent the country from posing a threat to Russia by joining NATO.

Putin pointed at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's refusal to conduct talks with the Kremlin. He argued that it's up to Washington to stop supplying Ukraine with weapons and convince Kyiv, which he called a US "satellite", to sit for negotiations. "We have never refused negotiations. You should tell the current Ukrainian leadership to stop and come to a negotiating table."

Ukraine's new army chief has big wins

The man Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky named Thursday to lead the country's military has played a key role in some of Ukraine's biggest victories in its war with Russia, including overseeing the successful defense of the capital in the early days of the invasion.

Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrski, who had been commander of Ukraine's ground forces, takes over the head job at a challenging time. The choice of Syrski as chief commander is hardly a surprise. His battlefield successes have earned him the backing of his soldiers, who have been locked in grinding battles for two years.

Syrski, 58, is credited with initially organising the defence of Kyiv in February 2022, when many in Ukraine still rejected Western warnings that a Russian attack seemed imminent. He was later bestowed with the Hero of Ukraine award, the country's highest honor, for his role in repelling Moscow's advance on the capital.

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