Did Putin have plans to invade Ukraine when he played ball with Trump?
https://news.yahoo.com/putin-ready-negotiations-west-certain-094905039.html
Putin ready for negotiations with West on certain conditions
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Ukrainska Pravda
Sun, October 30, 2022 at 2:49 AM·2 min read
Russian politician and Foreign Minister
IRYNA BALACHUK – SUNDAY, 30 OCTOBER 2022, 11:49Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has reported that Vladimir Putin, the President of the Russian Federation, was still ready for negotiations regarding Ukraine.
Source: Kremlin-aligned news outlets RIA Novosti and RT
Quote from Lavrov: “[We are] ready to talk with the West about reducing tensions, but only if there are realistic proposals based on an equal approach.”
Details: Lavrov also added that the leadership of Russia, “especially Putin, is still ready for negotiations regarding Ukraine.”
He reported that over the last six months, “there were several initiatives coming from the Americans, and some other Western colleagues who asked for phone conversations with the Russian leader”.
Lavrov also said that certain foreign ministers would turn to him with the same appeal, and he would always respond positively.
The Russian foreign minister also added that Vladimir Putin had repeatedly said that Russia never did – and never does – turn down an offer of negotiations; it was allegedly “Ukraine [that refused talks] under direct instructions from its Western sponsors”.
Lavrov’s statement does not make it clear whether the leadership of the Russian Federation is ready for negotiations with the president of Ukraine, or whether it is ready to talk with the “collective West”, which Putin accuses of escalating the tensions.
Background:
On 27 October, at the plenary session of the Valdai International Discussion Club in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose armies attacked Ukraine and violated the world order, said that sooner or later the West would have to start an “dialogue on an equal footing”.
Dmitry Peskov, the spokesman for the Russian president, stated that a basis for talks between Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden could be the desire of the United States to listen to “Russia’s concerns” about security guarantees.
After the press conference, Trump asked his good buddy if he could spend a moment alone with his precious ball.
“Be my guest. But, when you are done pleasuring yourself, use a KGB Handy-wipe to remove all evidence that we had one hell of a good time! We had a ball!
Russian President Vladimir Putin, fresh off his country hosting the World Cup, gave President Trump a soccer ball during their joint press conference in Helsinki on Monday, seemingly using it as a metaphor as Putin told Trump “now the ball is in your court.”
“President Trump has just mentioned that we’ve successfully concluded the world football cup,” Putin said during the press conference. “Speaking of football, actually, Mr. President, I will give this ball to you and now the ball is in your court. All the more the United States…
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