Vladimir Putin has claimed Moscow is ready to look for “diplomatic solutions” in the ongoing Ukraine crisis, as Liz Truss warned UK sanctions on Russia would “inflict pain” despite criticism the current measures do not go far enough.
“Our country is always open for direct and honest dialogue, for the search for diplomatic solutions to the most complex problems. The interests of Russia, the security of our citizens, are non-negotiable for us,” the Russian president said in a video message released on Wednesday.
During her own morning media round, the UK foreign secretary said she believes Mr Putin is “hell-bent” on invading Ukraine.
She added: “This is about inflicting pain on Putin and degrading the Russian economic system over time, targeting people that are close to Putin. But if you’re asking me is he paying attention, my view is that he wants to invade, this is a long-standing plan.” Critics of the government say the sanctions package is too weak to be taken seriously by the Kremlin.
