Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the freezing of Russian assets abroad is “theft ” and warned that the move would “not go unpunished”. Putin set out what he said were Russia‘s preconditions for starting peace talks with Ukraine. He said Russia would be ready for such talks “tomorrow” if Ukrainian troops withdraw from the four annexed regions of Ukraine. Putin said Russia could agree to Kyiv “maintaining Ukrainian sovereignty” over the southern Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. US Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin rejected Putin’s demands that Ukraine withdraw its troops from territory claimed by Moscow. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said conditions set out by Putin for initiating Ukraine peace talks are “not a proposal made in good faith.” Watch the video to find out more.
