Putin claims Russia is ready to negotiate; Ukraine accuses Kremlin of trying to avoid responsibility
Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed in an interview with state television on Sunday that Moscow wants to negotiate, even as Ukrainian cities were hit with a barrage of missiles over the Christmas weekend.
"We are ready to negotiate with everyone involved about acceptable solutions, but that is up to them - we are not the ones refusing to negotiate, they are," Putin said.
The claim was rebuffed by Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who said that "Putin needs to come back to reality."
"Russia single-handedly attacked Ukraine and is killing citizens. There are no other 'countries, motives, geopolitics,'" Podolyak tweeted. "Russia doesn’t want negotiations, but tries to avoid responsibility."
https://www.foxnews.com/world/putin-claims-russia-ready-negotiate-ukraine-accuses-kremlin-trying-avoid-responsibility
@libertybele And THERE it is.
Putin is NOT the "leader of a free nation." He is a neo-Stalinist dictator whose career was in the Soviet secret police,and he used the Secret Police files on other Politburo members to be elected President/Dictator for life.
And before any of you claim this can't be done in a nation with elections,let me remind you of J for Janet,Edgar Hoover and his lifetime position as the Director of the US FBI. He had the dirt on EVERYBODY in DC,and THAT is how he stayed in power until his death.
If "Sucks like a Hoover" can remain in power in an alleged democracy for life because of his access to the private conduct of elected officials in what passes for a Democracy, just imagine the power that Putin has,with access to similar records going back for generations.
Putin is going to remain in power until the new generation of Russian leaders manage to seize those files.
We can only hope that whoever it is that seizes those records destroys them instead of uses them to become "Putin,Part 2".
Meanwhile,all of Europe,as well as all of Russia lives in fear of what that madman might do. He needs to be whacked,but in such a way to insure he NEVER becomes a martyr. I honestly don't think he is mentally capable of realizing he is slowly losing power,and taking his gold and fleeing to another nation that will grant him asylum.
The other Politburo members are going to have to agree to remove him from power,and then agree to have him arrested and put on trial for corruption. Given his lifestyle,including one of the biggest personal yachts in the world,that really shouldn't be hard to prove. The only "bump in THAT road" is the entire Soviet leadership has ALWAYS been corrupt and living like princes off the national wealth,and they won't be wanting too much of that exposed.
Not that I see very much support for Putin coming from anywhere. Take away all reason to fear him by removing him from power,and it's over for him.
As to who will replace him and what sort of nation Russia would be under a new government,nobody knows. He could be replaced by someone just like him,or he could be replaced by a true reformer. It's anyone's guess,and I SUSPECT,totally dependent on who gets Putin's secret files and what they do with them.
One thing is certain. The generation of elderly geezers who grew up and gained power under the Soviet system need to be removed from power by votes or natural deaths before any real,permanent changes are made.