Putin says Russia wants to end war in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia wants the war in Ukraine to end and that will inevitably involve a diplomatic solution.

Putin’s comments came a day after US President Joe Biden greeted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House and promised him continued and unwavering US support.

“Our aim is not to turn the wheel of military conflict, but to end this war,” said Putin. “We will make an effort to finish this and of course the sooner the better.”

White House spokesman John Kirby said Putin had “showed no sign of his willingness to negotiate” to end the war that began when Moscow sent troops into Ukraine on February 24.

“On the contrary,” Kirby told reporters during an online briefing. Everything Putin does on the ground and in the air points to a man who wants to continue violence against the Ukrainian people and escalate the war.

Kirby reiterated that Biden was open to negotiations with Putin, but only after the Russian leader had “showed seriousness in the negotiations” and after consultations with Ukraine and US allies.

Russia has consistently said it is open to negotiations, but Ukraine and its allies suspect a time-wastering gimmick after a string of Russian defeats and retreats that shifted the momentum of the 10-month war in favor of Kiev.

“I have said many times: the intensification of hostilities leads to unjustified losses,” Putin told reporters.