(NewsGlobal.com)- Russia’s Vladimir Putin has vowed to ‘thrash’ Ukraine.
On Monday, the menacing leader made the threat ahead of a new round of peace talks between the two countries, who for a month have been involved in Europe’s bloodiest military conflict since World War II.
Roman Abramovich, the Russian billionaire and former owner of English Premier League club Chelsea, purportedly handed Putin a note from Zelenskky outlining terms for peace negotiations.
‘Tell him (Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy) I will thrash them,’ Putin reportedly told Abramovich.
A new round of talks between Russia and Ukraine begins in Turkey on Tuesday, with an improved humanitarian situation as the ‘minimum’ aim. Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, stated that a stable cease-fire is a best-case scenario.
At this time, a face-to-face meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy, who has become a war hero for Ukraine thanks to his stirring speeches, is doubtful.
Putin has been unwavering in his pursuit of war, ostensibly to liberate Ukraine from despotism and ‘de-militarize’ and ‘de-nazify’ the former Soviet state. Putin’s muddled message is that he will free the Ukrainian citizens of nazism by killing the citizens.
Russia declared last month that it would continue the fight until Ukraine’s military was destroyed.
Although Russia has downplayed its losses, estimates indicate that hundreds, if not thousands, of soldiers have died, and tons of military equipment have been lost.
Ukraine has also claimed that Russia targets civilians, medical staff, and infrastructure, which is illegal under international law.
As the West tries to ‘push’ Putin to back down, Moscow has been hit with some of the worst economic sanctions, but the nation has stayed steadfast.
During a meeting with European Union leaders in Warsaw last week, US President Joe Biden vented some of his frustration when he referred to Putin as a “butcher” and stated that the Russian leader “cannot remain in power.”
This slip of the lip was interpreted as the president calling for “regime change,” an utterance that was immediately walked back by white house handlers.
Senator Rob Portman, a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, expressed regret for the public gaffe during a time of war.
“It plays right into the hands of Russian propagandists and Vladimir Putin himself. “It was a blunder,” Portman scolded.
With one sentence, Biden managed to thrash our messaging, suggesting we would go to war and “uninstall” Putin.
