Putin says “special military operation“ in Ukraine will continue

푸틴 “내년에도 우크라이나 작전 계속 포기 안 해“ Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow will continue with what it calls a “special military operation“ in Ukraine next year. But at the same time, Putin expressed his willingness to hold peace talks, as long as they are in Russia’s national interest. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he’s confident of support from Western countries. Lee Eun-jin with the latest. Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke at a defense leadership meeting in Moscow on Tuesday, during which he stressed that Russia will not give up what he called “its“ territory, adding that Moscow will not abandon the goals of its “special military operation.“ “The West is not abandoning its strategy of containing Russia and its aggressive goals in Ukraine. Well, we are not going to give up our goals for a special military operation.“ He said Russia had taken on 490-thousand contract and voluntary soldiers in 2023, adding that next year, Russia will try to boost those forces to 745-thousand men. During his meeting with the defense ministry, Putin said if Western countries or Ukraine want to hold talks with Russia, he is ready to do so,.. but it would be on Russia’s terms. “History will put everything in its place. We won’t interfere, but we won’t give up our territory. This is what everyone in Ukraine, Europe, and the USA, everyone who is aggressive towards Russia should understand. If they want to negotiate, let them negotiate. We will only do it based on our interests.“ Putin also reiterated that Ukraine’s accession to NATO, even if it’s 10 or 15 years from now, is “unacceptable.“ Meanwhile, at an end-of-year news conference on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he was confident his country would continue to receive important financial support from the U.S. and the EU. “As for financial assistance, we are working very hard on it. I am sure that the United States of America will not betray us and that what we have achieved with the United States will be fulfilled.“ He added that no one knows when the war in Ukraine will end, but the moment could be brought closer if everything necessary for victory is done. Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, and in 2022 claimed the four additional regions of Ukraine that its troops partially control are part of Russia. Kyiv says it will not rest until every last Russian soldier is ejected from Ukraine. Lee Eunjin, Arirang News. #Vladimir_Putin #special_military_operation #Ukraine #defense_leadership_meeting #Russian_President #푸틴 #러시아_우크라이나_전쟁 #우크라이나_작전 #Arirang_News #아리랑뉴스 📣 Facebook : 📣 Twitter : 📣 Homepage : 2023-12-20, 12:00 (KST)