Putin at meeting with Witkoff and Kushner: For Russia, there is only one "line of demarcation" – state border
Russian dictator Putin said at a meeting with US presidential special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner that, for Moscow, there is "only one line of demarcation – the state border".
Russian state media reported this, according to Censor.NET.
Putin on territories and "grey zones"
The Kremlin leader claimed that Moscow and Kyiv understand territorial issues differently:
"We know that territorial issues are understood differently on the two sides. For us, what matters more is the people living there, their traditions, culture, and their right to live by their own rules and traditional values."
He separately addressed the issue of "grey zones", which he said the Ukrainian side raises:
"As I have said, this will always be a bone of contention. For us, there is only one line of demarcation – the state border. Because then it will be clear: we are here, and you are there."
Putin added: "As soon as we get drawn into discussions about ‘grey zones’, which are understood differently, disputes immediately arise and any agreements become unstable. And there will be no lasting peace."
According to the Russian leader, the Ukrainian side frequently raises the issue of control over particular territories:
"We still hear from the Kyiv authorities that this or that territory is under their control, while some territory is not under ours. This can go on indefinitely, because it is difficult to see what is actually happening there, given modern weapons."
Context
- Russia considers Crimea, as well as the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, its territory on the basis of the "annexations" of 2014 and 2022, which are not recognised by the international community. Therefore, Russia’s interpretation of the "state border" formula could also encompass occupied territories, although he did not name any specific regions in the statement provided.
Background
- On November 12, US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived at the Kremlin for talks with Putin following a trilateral meeting between the United States, Ukraine and Russia in Abu Dhabi.
- Following their talks with Putin, they are expected to travel to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Dublin, where he arrived for the European Political Community summit.
- On November 11, two days of Ukraine–US–Russia talks concluded in Abu Dhabi, resulting in an agreement on a large-scale prisoner exchange. After the trilateral meetings, the Ukrainian delegation held separate talks with European representatives who were also present in the UAE.
