US Calls on Putin

The US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has commented on Russian President Vladimir Putin's statement that Ukrainian forces must withdraw from all territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhia regions to begin peaceful negotiations, and that Kyiv must declare its refusal to join NATO.

Austin stated that Putin is not in a position to dictate what Ukraine must do to establish peace. According to the Pentagon chief, the Russian president could cease military operations today.

“We call on him to withdraw his troops from Ukraine's sovereign territory,” noted Austin.