UPDATE - Putin says no plans to capture Ukraine's city of Kharkiv 'at the moment'

UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS BY RUSSIAN PRESIDENT

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) – Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that combat operations in Ukraine's Kharkiv region are aimed at establishing a "sanitary zone" - a buffer area from which Ukrainian strikes cannot reach Russian territory.

There are no plans to capture Kharkiv, the administrative center of northeastern Ukraine, "at the moment," Putin said at a press conference in the Chinese city of Kharbin, which was streamed on the Kremlin website.

"As for what is happening in the Kharkiv direction, this is also their fault (Ukrainian authorities), because they have been shelling residential areas of border territories, including Belgorod. Well, civilians are dying there. It's still obvious.

"They strike right at the center of the city, at residential areas. And I have said publicly that if this continues, we will have to establish a safety zone... a sanitary zone. That's what we're doing," he stressed.

On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the combat situation in the Kharkiv region as "extremely difficult" and met with his military chiefs to discuss possible actions.

- Putin comments on Zelenskyy's legitimacy after his term ends on May 20

Putin said he discussed the prospects for resolving the Ukrainian conflict with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, noting that Beijing "sincerely seeks" reconciliation between Moscow and Kyiv.

He reiterated his willingness to resolve the conflict diplomatically, citing the 2022 Istanbul agreements between Russia and Ukraine as a potential foundation for peace.

Commenting on the upcoming peace conference on Ukraine in Switzerland, the president criticized its goal to rally as many countries as possible to support Kyiv's position before presenting this collective stance as an ultimatum to Russia. He was unequivocally opposed to such an approach.

Addressing Zelenskyy's legitimacy after his term ends on May 20, Putin said, "All current authorities in Kyiv derive their power from a coup d'etat."

As for Zelenskyy's legitimacy as president is concerned, Putin said Ukraine's legal system must respond. "For us, this (Zelenskyy's legitimacy after May 20) matters because if it comes down to signing documents, we must do so with legitimate authorities."

- Advantages of leaving dollar system

Putin criticized the US for “weaponizing” the dollar, saying it undermines its role as an international means of payment and reserve currency.

According to Putin, the dollar's use as the base for these two systems gives the American economy significant advantages, over $10 trillion by various estimates.

"The more US authorities undermine trust in the dollar, the more they weaken their primary tool of power—the dollar itself—causing it irreparable damage," he said.

He acknowledged that, while there are disadvantages, there are also benefits to moving away from the dollar system as it can help change the situation in which "one country dictates its will to the rest of the world, using financial and economic tools for political purposes."

Although the process of switching to national currencies and developing alternative payment systems is challenging and progressing slowly, he stressed that it is the right course of action.

Putin also pointed out that sanctions and restrictive measures cause economic problems for the countries that implement them.

Responding to French President Emmanuel Macron's proposal to declare a cease-fire in Ukraine during the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, Putin criticized international sports officials for violating their own rules concerning Russian athletes while expecting others to follow them.

"This contradicts all principles of justice. They break the rules themselves while expecting us to follow them. We will not proceed in this manner and will never agree on any issues under such circumstances," he stressed.