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Vladimir Putin wants to end the ‘problematic’ war in Ukraine ‘as soon as possible’, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has claimed.
The Turkish leader made the astonishing statement to the US outlet last night PBS after sharing “extensive discussions” with his belligerent Russian counterpart at a summit in Uzbekistan last week.
“He’s actually showing me that he’s willing to put an end to this as soon as possible,” Erdogan said.
‘That was my impression, because the current state of affairs is quite problematic.’
The Turk’s comments were made less than 24 hours before the massive annual United Nations summit kicked off this morning in New York, where the war in Ukraine will be an “inevitable” topic at the top of the agenda, said EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell. .
It comes as the highly influential Russian nationalist Igor Girkin declared that further economic struggles or military losses from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine could spell the end of Putin’s regime.
The former FSB officer, chief architect of the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the pro-Russian uprising in the Donbas, said: “It just takes a burst of inflation or a few more military defeats to finish him off.”
Vladimir Putin (right) wants to end the war in Ukraine “as soon as possible,” claimed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (left) (both pictured in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Sept. 16).
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan attend a meeting on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, September 16, 2022
Igor ‘Strelkov’ Girkin, a former FSB officer and hardliner Russian nationalist, warned Putin would see his grip on power wane with further defeats in Ukraine
Erdogan also said yesterday that Russia should not keep any Ukrainian territory it claimed during the war, up to and including Crimea.
“Obviously, if peace is established in Ukraine, the return of the invaded country will be very important. This is what is expected,” Erdogan affirmed in a blatant disapproval of Putin’s recent military exploits.
Russian positions in Ukraine were fundamentally weakened about 10 days ago when a lightning-fast Ukrainian counter-offensive broke a months-long stalemate in the northeastern region of Kharkov.
Ukrainian forces have since reclaimed thousands of square miles and are now said to be preparing new attacks on Russian-occupied areas of the Donbas.
Putin downplayed the defeat last week, claiming that his “special military operation” would still be carried out as planned.
But the Russian-installed governments in occupied Ukraine today called for referendums to continue a formal annexation, while the Russian parliament has introduced laws to increase penalties for disobedient soldiers and allow for mass mobilization — movements moving towards Smells of despair to regain control of a rapidly changing battlefield.
Girkin, who played a leading role in training, arming and orchestrating the 2014 uprising of pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, told his more than half a million Telegram subscribers that further defeats could collapse Putin’s regime. .
The former Putin loyalist-turned-critic has since June warned of a possible collapse of Russian positions in Ukraine amid bitter fighting and has repeatedly urged the Kremlin to initiate a nationwide mobilization of military forces and mass conscription. to overwhelm the Ukrainians.
Russian army veteran and former FSB officer who played a key role in the 2014 annexation of Crimea, Igor ‘Strelkov’ Girkin, has openly criticized Putin’s management of the conflict in Ukraine (in the background is a Russian nationalist flag). pictured)
Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers his speech as he attends a ceremony to receive credentials from newly appointed foreign ambassadors to Russia, in the Kremlin, Moscow, Tuesday, September 20, 2022
Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, said the war in Ukraine will be an ‘inevitable’ topic at the top of the agenda at this week’s UN summit in New York
“You could say that the battle for the initiative I have been talking about since June has been completely won by the Ukrainian armed forces,” Girkin said after the massive Russian withdrawal from the Kharkov region last weekend.
“I have 99 percent, maybe 100 percent confidence in our defeat.”
However, Putin appeared to be doubling down on his war in Ukraine today, criticizing the US for its alleged attempts to “maintain its world domination.”
Speaking at the Kremlin in Moscow, Putin said that “the objective development towards a multipolar world is confronted with resistance from those who try to maintain their hegemony in global affairs and control everything – Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa.”
He added that “the hegemon has been able to do that for a long time, but it cannot go on forever… regardless of the developments in Ukraine.”
Putin has repeatedly expressed his decision to send troops to Ukraine in response to alleged Western encroachments on Russia’s vital security interests.
The Russian leader described Western sanctions against Russia for its action in Ukraine as part of efforts by the US and its allies to bolster their positions, but accused them of counteracting their organizers and hurting poor countries as well.
“As for Russia, we will not deviate from our sovereign course,” Putin said.