Russian President Vladimir Putin presented matching rings to the heads of several republics that were formerly part of the Soviet Union.
Putin made the symbolic gift to the heads of the Commonwealth of Independent States at a summit in St. Petersburg. Leaders at the summit received gold rings engraved with a New Year’s message.
PUTIN CLAIMS THAT RUSSIA IS READY TO NEGOTIATE; UKRAINE ACCUSES KREMLIN OF TRYING TO AVOID RESPONSIBILITY
Russian President Vladimir Putin.
(Alexander Demyanchuk, Sputnik, Kremlin pool photo via AP)
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko reportedly donned the ring immediately.
Putin told Russian media later that the summit focused on improving cooperation between the countries on issues such as defense and economic interests.
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Putin said in an interview with state television on Sunday that Moscow wants to negotiate, even as Ukrainian cities were hit with missile barrage over the Christmas weekend.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during an extended meeting of the Russian Defense Ministry Board at the National Defense Control Center in Moscow, December 21, 2022.
(VADIM SAVITSKY/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images)
“We are ready to negotiate with everyone involved on acceptable solutions, but that depends on them, it is not us who refuse to negotiate, it is them,” Putin said.
The claim was rejected by Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyywho said that “Putin needs to come back to reality”.
