Vladimir Putin declared the Ukraine conflict could be resolved through negotiation if “common sense prevailed” whilst warning of continued military action, as Donald Trump accused Russia, China and North Korea of “conspiring against the United States” during a Beijing military parade.
Speaking at a press conference following his four-day visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, the Russian president said there was “light at the end of the tunnel” for ending the war but insisted Moscow would press on militarily if no agreement was reached.
The comments came as Trump launched a scathing Truth Social attack on Chinese President Xi Jinping, writing: “Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America.”
Putin’s Conditions for Peace
During his Beijing press conference on Wednesday, Putin maintained that Russian forces were “advancing on all fronts” and claimed Ukraine was incapable of mounting large-scale offensives after three and a half years of conflict.
The Russian leader said he remained open to meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky but questioned whether such talks would be worthwhile. “I have never ruled out the possibility of such a meeting. But is there any point? Let’s see,” Putin stated.
He outlined several conditions for progress, insisting Ukraine must cancel martial law, hold elections, and conduct a referendum on territorial questions – a reference to the four Ukrainian regions Russia claimed to have annexed in 2022, which Kyiv and most Western nations reject as an illegal land grab.
If Zelensky is ready, he can come to Moscow,” Putin added, whilst confirming no date had been set for his next meeting with Trump despite the American president’s invitation to Moscow following their Alaska summit in August.
Trump’s ‘Conspiracy’ Accusations
The gathering in China provoked a fierce reaction from Trump, who took to Truth Social on Tuesday night as Putin, Xi and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un assembled for Wednesday’s military parade marking the 80th anniversary of Japan’s World War II surrender.
The big question to be answered is whether or not President Xi of China will mention the massive amount of support and ‘blood’ that The United States of America gave to China in order to help it to secure its FREEDOM from a very unfriendly foreign invader,” Trump wrote.
He questioned whether Xi would acknowledge that “Many Americans died in China’s quest for Victory and Glory. I hope that they are rightfully Honored and Remembered for their Bravery and Sacrifice!”
The president concluded with apparent sarcasm: “May President Xi and the wonderful people of China have a great and lasting day of celebration.
SCO Summit Shows Unity Against West
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin, attended by leaders from Russia, China, India, Iran and other nations, was presented as an alternative to the US-led global order with displays of unity between anti-NATO countries.
During the summit, Putin blamed the West for the Ukraine conflict, stating: “This crisis was not triggered by Russia’s attack on Ukraine, but was a result of a coup in Ukraine, which was supported and provoked by the West.
He praised diplomatic efforts from China and India, saying their proposals could “facilitate the resolution of the Ukrainian crisis” and claimed the “understandings” reached with Trump at their Alaska meeting were “opening the way to peace in Ukraine.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a nearly hour-long private meeting with Putin in the Russian presidential limousine, with both leaders emphasising their close ties. Modi stated: “India and Russia have always stood shoulder to shoulder even in the most difficult times.
Military Parade Demonstrations
Wednesday’s Beijing military parade featured China’s most advanced weaponry, including DF-5C intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear-capable systems, in what analysts described as a clear message to the West.
Putin met separately with Kim Jong Un following the parade, thanking North Korea for sending troops to fight Ukraine’s incursion in Russia’s Kursk region. I would like to emphasise that your soldiers fought valiantly and heroically,” Putin told the North Korean leader, according to the Kremlin readout.
The parade marked the first time Putin, Xi and Kim had appeared together publicly, underscoring what Edward Howell from Oxford University called “an axis of authoritarian states” that is “strengthening” through the Ukraine conflict.
Stalled Peace Efforts
Despite Trump’s efforts to broker peace, including the August Alaska summit, Putin showed no signs of shifting his position. He reiterated demands for NATO to halt expansion eastward and insisted Ukraine’s security “cannot be ensured at the expense of Russia’s security.
The Kremlin dismissed Trump’s conspiracy allegations, with Putin’s aide Yury Ushakov telling reporters: “No one organised any conspiracies, no one was weaving anything. Moreover, no one even had that in their minds.”
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry criticised the SCO summit’s final Tianjin Declaration for omitting any reference to the war, calling it “eloquent” that the “largest war of aggression in Europe since World War II was not reflected in such an important, fundamental document.
The ministry urged China to take a more active role in pressuring Russia toward peace “based on respect for the UN Charter,” whilst European leaders planned to meet in Paris to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine.
Putin concluded his remarks by stating Russia was fighting “not so much for territories as for people’s rights” and insisted that any lasting peace must address what he called NATO’s “constant attempts to drag Ukraine into” the alliance.
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Image Credit:
Vladimir Putin (18 June 2023) — photo by Пресс-служба Президента РФ (Presidential Press Service of the Russian Federation), CC BY 4.0 (via Kremlin.ru).
