HANOI. June 20 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he does not think that nihilism about the Russian proposals on how to settle the conflict in Ukraine will not last forever, something will change, including Russia's terms, depending on the situation on the ground.
"I don't think such nihilism about our proposals will remain forever, something will change probably, as will our terms depending on the situation on the ground," Putin told Russian reporters in Hanoi.
The proposals set out by partners on how to settle the conflict are also a form of ultimatum, he said. "They thought up some formulae. Is there a result? The result of our Minsk talks in Istanbul? Why does no one remember it?" Putin said.
"If we agreed back then, and it has the signature of the head of Ukraine's negotiating team, it means that the Istanbul agreements were acceptable for the Ukrainian side in principle. What was it that happened on the ground, on the battlefield that allows making some additional conditions that are in no way related to our Istanbul agreement?" Putin said.