Putin says Russia will liberate Donbas and Novorossiya by military or other means: Highlights from interview

Russian President Vladimir Putin described his meeting with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner as “very useful” during an interview with India Today on his visit to India.

Highlights from Putin’s interview:

• Russia disagrees with certain aspects of the U.S. peace proposals for resolving the conflict in Ukraine, calling it a complex issue.
• The U.S. suggested dividing its 28-point peace plan into “four packages” for discussion in that format.
• Russia will liberate Donbass and Novorossiya in any case, militarily or otherwise.
• Russia proposed that Ukraine withdraw its troops from Donbas and refrain from initiating military actions, but Kyiv prefers to continue fighting.
• Russia does not wish to return to the G8, as envisioned in Trump’s plan.