Putin: Russia will ‘liberate’ Donbas and Southern Ukraine ‘by any means’

Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared that Russia will occupy Ukraine’s Donbas region, as well as its southern and eastern territories, “in any case,” insisting that Moscow remains committed to its objectives regardless of the situation on the ground.

Putin claimed that Russia had proposed a withdrawal of forces from Donbas and a cessation of military operations to Kyiv, but said the Ukrainian government “chose to fight.”

“Russia will liberate Donbas and Novorossiya in any case - by military means or otherwise,” Putin said, using the term “Novorossiya” to refer to Ukraine’s southern and eastern regions.

Meanwhile, the United States has been attempting to negotiate a peace framework. In November, Washington presented a new plan for ending the war, initially comprising 28 points, which were later revised. Consultations between US and Ukrainian delegations took place on 23 and 30 November, in Geneva and Florida, respectively.