Putin not ready for talks after 4,000 days of war – chief EU diplomat Borrell

Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, believes that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is not ready for peace talks after 4,000 days of war against Ukraine. 

Source: Josep Borrell after a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday, European Pravda reports

Details: Borrell referred to the massive air attack that Russia launched on Ukraine overnight on 16-17 November and Monday’s lethal attacks on Odesa.

Quote from Borrell: "What does it mean? Well, it means that Putin does not look to be ready to negotiate, but rather to escalate. He does not look willing to negotiate, but to escalate the war in order to fulfil his goals. His goals have been clear since the beginning: to conquer, to occupy and to subjugate Ukraine."

The EU’s chief diplomat noted that Putin had believed that the war would be over in two weeks, but his plan failed. 

Quote from Borrell:  "This was his plan. In a couple of weeks, in Kyiv. 1,000 days later, they are still fighting in Donbas. But it is not only 1,000 days – it is 4,000 days since Putin attacked Ukraine for the first time. It was in 2014."

Borrell acknowledged that the EU's response should have been firmer and stronger from the beginning. He warned against leaving Russia's latest escalation without a response.

Quote from Borrell: "It is clear that each step that is being left without reaction encourages Russia to escalate further: no reaction, more escalation."

Background: Borrell has also announced that the European Union has handed over the promised million artillery rounds to Ukraine. The munitions were supposed to have arrived by spring.

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