Russian President Vladimir Putin (AP photo)
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday issued a sharp warning to Ukraine, saying, “If Kyiv does not want peace, Russia will achieve all special military operation goals by military means.” His statement came after he visited a command post of the Russian armed forces and just hours before crucial Zelenskyy-Trump meet in Florida, TASS reported.Putin said that work on creating a buffer zone along the Russia-Ukraine border is moving ahead, and claimed that Russian forces are making gains in Donbass and the Zaporozhye region along the entire frontline.He made these comments after meeting chief of the general staff Valery Gerasimov and commanders of various battle groups. According to TASS, he was also briefed on the capture of Gulyaipole in the Zaporozhye region and Dimitrov in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR).TASS further reported that both Putin and Gerasimov suggested that Ukraine’s leadership is in “no hurry” to seek a peaceful resolution to the conflict.His remarks came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated that territories occupied by Russia during the four-year war, as well as the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), are “red lines” for Ukraine. He said any major decisions on these issues must involve the Ukrainian people, either through a referendum or changes in legislation, ahead of his meeting with US President Donald Trump in Florida on Sunday.In posts on X while travelling to the United States, Zelenskyy said Ukraine wants to reduce the number of unresolved issues in any future peace deal but stressed that matters involving territory, the ZNPP, and national sovereignty remain extremely sensitive.He said that strong, reliable security guarantees are Ukraine’s top priority in any peace process.
