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Putin Ready for Ukraine Talks Based on Istanbul Agreements, Denies Syria Defeat After Evacuating 4,000 Iranian Fighters

Dec 19, 2024, 12:10 PM

Russian President Vladimir Putin, during his annual marathon press conference, addressed a range of topics including the ongoing war in Ukraine and the situation in Syria. On Ukraine, Putin stated that Russia is ready to engage in negotiations without any preconditions, emphasizing that Moscow is prepared for both talks and compromises. He mentioned that any dialogue should be based on the agreements reached in Istanbul in late 2022 and the current realities on the ground. Putin also indicated that Russia would only sign peace agreements with the legitimate leader of Ukraine, suggesting that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would need to participate in elections to gain legitimacy for such negotiations. Regarding Syria, Putin denied that the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime constituted a defeat for Russia, asserting that Moscow had achieved its strategic goals in the country. He mentioned that Russia intervened in Syria to prevent the establishment of a terrorist enclave and claimed that the majority of regional countries support Russia's continued military presence there. Putin also revealed that Russia had evacuated 4,000 Iranian fighters from Syria to Tehran following Assad's ousting. Additionally, Putin expressed his readiness to meet with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to discuss the Ukraine conflict, stating he has not spoken to Trump in over four years.