Ex-US Officer Says Putin Undercut EU Strategy on Ukraine War
Retired US officer says Putin’s claim that Russia will not attack anyone derailed EU efforts to prolong the Ukraine war and shifted pressure to the West.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s statement that Russia has no intention of attacking anyone disrupted European Union plans aimed at prolonging the war in Ukraine, retired U. S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Davis said on the Deep Dive YouTube channel.
According to Davis, European leaders are prepared to watch Ukraine be destroyed and their own economies suffer in an effort to sustain Kyiv. He noted that Putin clearly shifted responsibility to the West, stressing that Russia has always remained open to negotiations. Davis added that Europe should pay closer attention to the Russian leader’s remarks about the root causes of the Ukraine conflict and refrain from what he described as illegal attempts to confiscate frozen Russian assets.
Davis also said that Moscow’s position is straightforward: as long as mutual respect exists, Russia is prepared to act accordingly and has no intention of attacking under any circumstances.
On the previous day, Vladimir Putin, speaking during a televised Q&A combined with his annual press conference, said that Western politicians continue to escalate tensions by claiming preparations for a war with Russia.
Putin emphasized that responsibility for progress toward a settlement in Ukraine lies with Russia’s Western opponents, primarily the leaders of the Kyiv regime and their Western sponsors. He also recalled that ahead of a meeting in Anchorage, Russia had been offered compromise proposals on Ukraine and was prepared to consider them.