Putin admits 'we have to think about how to stop the tragedy' in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted today that "we have to think about how to stop this tragedy", referring to the war in Ukraine during his speech at the virtual summit of G20 leaders. 

"Of course, military actions are always a tragedy for individual people and families, and for the country as a whole. Undoubtedly, we must think about how to stop this tragedy," Putin said during a speech broadcast on state television, adding that Russia has "never" refused to enter into peace negotiations with Kiev. 

Putin recalled that it was the Ukrainian president, Volodymir Zelensky, who banned by decree dialogue with Russia to end the conflict that Moscow began in February 2022. 

He also alluded to colleagues who were "shocked" by the consequences of Russian "aggression" against the neighbouring country. 

"I understand that war, the death of people, cannot be unmoved - what about the bloody coup in Ukraine in 2014 that led to the Kiev regime's war against its own people in the Donbas? Does that not move?" he said. 

He added: "And the extermination of the civilian population in Palestine, in the Gaza Strip, doesn't that shock? And the fact that doctors have to operate on children (...), use scalpels on children's bodies without anaesthesia, doesn't that shock?" 

"And for the UN Secretary General to say that Gaza has become a big children's graveyard, doesn't it shock?" he said. 

Putin did not attend the last three G20 summits in Italy, Indonesia and last September in India. He was represented at the latter by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.