Russian President Vladimir Putin, during negotiations with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Beijing, stated the “readiness to cooperate with American representatives” at the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which has been under the control of Russian troops since the early days of the full-scale invasion in 2022.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Details of the Statement and Russia’s Position on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant
Putin’s statement was made during the press-accessible portion of the negotiations. Russian state news agencies provide different versions of his words: one claims that Russia is “ready to cooperate with the US and Ukraine at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.” At the same time, he did not provide any additional details regarding specific plans or conditions for cooperation.
“Russia is ready to cooperate with the US and Ukraine at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.”
Furthermore, during this meeting, Putin and Fico expressed a joint position on the unacceptability of Ukraine’s NATO membership. The Slovak Prime Minister was the first to voice his opinion, while the Russian President emphasized that “Russia has never opposed Ukraine’s membership in the EU, but NATO is a different matter.”
Context of Possible Agreements Regarding the War in Ukraine
In August of this year, information emerged that Washington and Moscow were allegedly considering the possibility of reaching an agreement on a ceasefire in Ukraine, which would involve consolidating the territories occupied by Russia. According to sources, Putin insists on transferring to Russia the entire eastern part of Donbas and Crimea – regions that partially remain under Ukrainian control. This would require the Ukrainian leadership to withdraw troops from parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, effectively meaning a victory for Russia, which it has been unable to achieve through military means since the invasion began in February 2022.
It is also reported that the Russian Federation may agree to halt its offensive in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions along the current front line as part of a potential agreement. However, it is emphasized that the conditions of such an agreement remain unclear and may be subject to change. It is also uncertain whether Moscow is willing to withdraw from any occupied territories, including the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant – the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.
According to sources, the likely agreement aims to freeze the conflict and facilitate a transition to a ceasefire and further negotiations for a final peace settlement. Previously, the US insisted that Russia first agree to an unconditional ceasefire to create conditions for peace talks.