Putin says his proposals can end conflict in Ukraine

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday said his peace proposals provide a pathway to ending the years-long conflict in Ukraine.

His message was conveyed in an address to participants of the Primakov Readings Forum by his aide for international affairs, Yury Ushakov.

"I hope that, unlike many Western politicians who did not even want to delve into the essence of the initiative we put forward, the forum participants will approach its consideration thoughtfully and rationally. They will be able to see that it truly offers the possibility of stopping the conflict and moving towards a political and diplomatic settlement," read the statement published on the Kremlin website.

Putin on June 14 had called on Ukraine to withdraw its troops from Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, agree with Russia's territorial gains made in the "special military operation" launched in February 2022, and confirm its neutral status. He also demanded the cancellation of all anti-Russian sanctions by the West.

The Russian leader expressed confidence that the forum participants would give due attention to Russian ideas on the formation of a system of equal, indivisible security and mutually beneficial cooperation across the Eurasian continent.

Moscow is hosting the 10th International Scientific and Expert Forum Primakov Readings, an annual international meeting of experts in the fields of international relations and the global economy, on Tuesday and Wednesday.