Reuters: Putin Ready to End War with Ukraine

Reuters reported, citing four informed sources, that Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, is prepared to end the war with Ukraine by participating in ceasefire negotiations, but otherwise, he will continue the war. An unnamed Russian official told Reuters that Putin can continue the war for as long as necessary, but he is also ready to end it. In response to these statements, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called Putin's claim of readiness to end the war 'fake signals' sent to divert the upcoming peace talks in Switzerland next month regarding Ukraine. Kuleba added, 'Putin currently has no intention of ending the aggression against Ukraine.' According to Dmytro Kuleba: 'Only the committed and united voice of the majority of the global community can compel him to prefer peace over war.' Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to the President of Ukraine, stated that Putin wants Western democracies to accept defeat. During the Russian missile strikes on the city of Kharkiv in Ukraine on Thursday, June 3, at least 7 people were killed, all of whom, according to Ukrainian officials, were 'civilians.' Amid intense fighting in Kharkiv, Volodymyr Zelensky visited the city. The Deputy Chief of Staff of the Russian Army was arrested on charges of receiving a large bribe. The German Chancellor welcomed France's request for greater military cooperation among European countries. The Russian missile attack on Kharkiv prompted Zelensky to criticize the insufficient support from Ukraine's Western allies.