Vladimir Putin lectures Nordic leaders on Russian history

{"text":[[{"start":9.96,"text":"Vladimir Putin used most of his call with the leaders of Finland and Norway to lecture them about medieval Slavic history, underscoring the difficulties Europe faces in asserting itself in upcoming peace talks with Russia."}],[{"start":22.36,"text":"Tuesday’s call with President Alexander Stubb of Finland and Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre was the first time Russia’s leader had spoken to any of Ukraine’s European allies since July last year when he held a call with French President Emmanuel Macron."}],[{"start":39.02,"text":"Originally scheduled for less than half an hour, the call ran on for 90 minutes, Stubb told Finnish media. But instead of discussing crucial issues about how to end the war, Putin subjected the Nordic leaders to a lengthy rant about what the Kremlin called the “initial reasons for the conflict”, said three people familiar with the conversation."}],[{"start":57.24,"text":"The prospect of an immediate ceasefire, Ukraine’s main demand, was barely discussed, the people added. The Nordic leaders decided not to interrupt Putin’s historical asides in an effort to see how serious he was about dialogue with Europe, one of them said."}],[{"start":72.42,"text":"Putin’s historical fixations have been a core driver of the invasion, which he ordered in February of 2022, a few days after he released an hour-long televised tirade. In August last year, he went off on a similarly lengthy tangent about medieval Slavic rulers during a failed summit with US President Donald Trump."}],[{"start":91.84,"text":"Last Thursday, Putin cited “the latest genetic research” which he claimed showed that “it’s one people, Russians and Ukrainians [ . . . ] That’s how the history of historical Russia happened, those are today’s realities.”"}],[{"start":103.76,"text":"In a joint statement, Stubb and Støre said they wanted to “convey messages directly regarding future negotiations to help end the war”, which are set for Abu Dhabi in November."}],[{"start":114.16,"text":"The call was the first between Putin and European leaders since the EU this summer began discussing appointing a representative to negotiate directly with Moscow over an end to the war in Ukraine."}],[{"start":125.46,"text":"That prospect has stalled over internal divisions as well as Putin’s reluctance to engage with Ukraine’s European allies."}],[{"start":132.04,"text":"The Kremlin appeared to relax its stance since US special envoy Steve Witkoff met Putin in St Petersburg last week. It said any final peace deal would require Europe’s input."}],[{"start":141.64,"text":"But Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, dismissed prospects for deeper talks with European leaders after the call. “It seems nothing new was discussed,” Lavrov told a panel of African news editors. “This just shows the Europeans’ desire to insert themselves into the negotiating process,” he added."}],[{"start":159.26,"text":"The war, Lavrov said, “will continue and, even I will say, is likely to escalate”."}],[{"start":165.12,"text":"Witkoff met with Stubb, Støre and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Oslo a day before his trip to Russia."}],[{"start":null,"text":"

"}],[{"start":172.44,"text":"Stubb said: “The discussion was frank and substantive. We are neighbouring countries to Russia. The outcome of this war will have a direct impact on our and the broader European security. Ending the war requires direct discussions.”"}],[{"start":186.12,"text":"There was pushback to Norway and Finland’s move to speak with Putin, however, from other countries in the region that argued Europe should unite in any dealings with Moscow. Stubb and Støre said they “did not speak on the behalf of Europe as a whole”."}],[{"start":198.96,"text":"Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told public broadcaster DR: “I am very sceptical of this independent initiative by Norway and Finland. It has not been co-ordinated with any of the rest of us.”"}],[{"start":210.26,"text":"“I see no signs that Russia desires peace with Europe — neither in the hybrid warfare taking place every single day, nor in Ukraine, where they are launching fierce and aggressive attacks on a daily basis.”"}],[{"start":220.2,"text":"“I believe we should keep Europe united, rather than going it alone,” she said."}],[{"start":225.92,"text":"The office of Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she had “great respect” for Stubb and Støre but added: “Above all, this phone call makes one thing clear: Europe has yet to reach an agreement on who should represent its interests in the peace process.”"}],[{"start":240.16,"text":"The planned US-brokered talks, the first between Ukraine and Russia since February, will be devoted to discussing future security guarantees following an end to the war."}],[{"start":249.08,"text":"Trump this month renewed his push to end the conflict when he struck a deal to import Russian diesel, paused new sanctions against Moscow’s energy exports and pressed Ukraine to stop drone strikes on Russia’s refineries."}],[{"start":263.468,"text":"The US did not extract concessions in return from Moscow, which has rejected Trump’s push for a moratorium on striking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. But the US hopes the moves will encourage Putin to negotiate an end to his invasion."}],[{"start":277.42,"text":"But the Kremlin indicated Putin was not interested in stepping back from his hardline demands to end the war, which Ukraine has said would amount to capitulation."}],[{"start":287.28,"text":"The Russian president “stressed that a fair long-term peace settlement is possible only if Russia’s legal interests are taken into account fully and unconditionally”, and spoke out against “the confrontational policies of EU and Nato countries, which are drawing out the conflict”, the Kremlin said."}],[{"start":305.92,"text":"Finland and Norway’s leaders held a phone call with Zelenskyy immediately after their talk with Putin."}],[{"start":311.52,"text":"Stubb and Støre “made it clear to the Russian leader that real de-escalatory steps are needed regarding our energy and infrastructure”, the Ukrainian president wrote on X."}],[{"start":321.606,"text":"Additional reporting by Fabrice Deprez in Kyiv and Amy Kazmin in Rome"}],[{"start":330.71,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1793171903_7995.mp3"}