Putin points to importance of long-term peace with guarantees in Ukraine conflict

What is needed in Ukraine is not a ceasefire but a long-term peace with guarantees. Russian President Vladimir Putin said this on December 19 during the "Results of the Year".

"We do not need a ceasefire, we need peace - long-term, durable, provided with guarantees for the Russian Federation and its citizens. It is a complicated question of how to provide these guarantees. But in general - we can look for it," he said.

The Russian leader also pointed out that the truce allows the enemy to retrain its manpower and entrench itself in positions.

"It is worth stopping for a week, it means giving the enemy a chance to gain a foothold on these positions, give them a chance to take a break, get the necessary equipment, ammunition," he added.

The last round of talks took place in Istanbul on March 29, 2022. They lasted about three hours. Later, Kiev officially refused contacts with Moscow. On October 4 of the same year, the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine on the impossibility of holding talks with Putin was enacted.

The direct line with Vladimir Putin in 2024 is combined with a press conference for the media. The format called "The Year's Results with Vladimir Putin" allows the president to convey his position not only on citizens' issues, but also on the state and world agenda, which is often asked about by journalists. Representatives of Western media and foreign journalists accredited in Russia have also received invitations to the events.

As of the morning of December 19, the number of requests sent to the direct line with the president exceeded 2 million. The first live broadcast was held in December 2001. By the President's own admission, this event is the most powerful sociological poll, which allows citizens to convey their position and assessment of the country's leadership.

The latest news about the "Results of the Year with Vladimir Putin - 2024" - in the Izvestia story.