Time to think how to stop this tragedy, Putin tells G20

Vladimir Putin yesterday told G20 leaders it was necessary to think about how to stop “the tragedy” of the war in Ukraine.

Some observers said the Russian leader’s remarks appeared to be his most placatory to date but others dismissed them as cynical.

During his first G20 address since the start of the war in 2022 Putin said some people claimed to be shocked by the ongoing “aggression” of Russia in Ukraine.

He then told the virtual meeting of the world’s largest economies: “Yes, of course, military actions are always a tragedy.

“And of course, we should think about how to stop this tragedy. By the way, Russia has never refused peace talks with Ukraine.”

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The remarks were among Putin’s most peaceful on the war for months and contrasted with his long diatribes about US expansion of Nato closer to Russia’s borders.

In his speech, Putin used the word “war” to describe the conflict instead of the Kremlin’s “special military operation” term.

His decision to send troops into Ukraine triggered Europe’s deadliest conflict since the Second World War.

Fighting since February 2022 has killed or wounded hundreds of thousands, displaced millions and devastated swathes of the country’s south and east.

“I understand that this war, and the death of people, cannot but shock,” Putin said. He then set out the Russian case that Ukraine had methodically persecuted Russian-speaking people in the east of the country.

And he also referred to the Middle East conflict between Israel and Hamas.

“And the extermination of the civilian population in Palestine, in the Gaza Strip today, is not shocking?” Putin asked.

The meeting was called by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Russian leader last attended a
G20 gathering in person in Japan in 2019.

Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine continued as snow fell. Ukrainian soldiers clashed with Russians near Kupiansk amid shelling of enemy positions in Kremmina.

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