Day 306: Putin Reiterates Readiness for Ukraine Negotiations

Facts

• Echoing comments made last week, Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin said he is ready to hold negotiations to bring an end to the war in Ukraine. He alleged it was his opponents that've in fact refused to take the issue seriously.
• In an interview with Russia's state broadcaster Rossiya 1 that aired on Sunday, Putin said: "We are ready to negotiate with everyone involved about acceptable solutions, but that is up to them — we are not the ones refusing to negotiate, they are."
• Despite his remarks, US and Ukrainian officials claimed Putin's comments were insincere and that he was attempting to buy time amid battlefield failures. On Twitter, Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the Ukrainian Pres., said: "Russia doesn’t want negotiations, but tries to avoid responsibility."
• Meanwhile on Monday, Russia's defense ministry said it shot down a drone that targeted the Engels airfield deep within its borders — roughly 370 miles (600 km) northeast of Ukraine. It said three service members were killed after the downed drone caused a large explosion and fire. It was the second time the airfield was attacked this month after an earlier attack on Dec. 5.
• In Russian attacks over the past day, strikes and shelling were recorded in the regions of Sumy, Donetsk, Kherson, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia. Ukrainian officials said two civilians were injured in Donetsk while one person was injured in each of Kharkiv and Kherson.

Sources: New York Post, Politico, and Ukrinform.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by New York Post. Despite Putin's comments, Russia is being disingenuous about claims of wanting negotiations. These are ploys to buy time amid failures on the battlefield.
• Pro-Russia narrative, as provided by Tass. Russia has repeatedly said it's open to negotiate and bring the war to an end. It's Ukraine, and their backers in the West, that are refusing to participate in this process.

Predictions