Putin says US peace plan can be the basis for peace in Ukraine

• “I believe that it could lay the foundation for a final peace settlement,” Putin said
• He threatened to seize more territory if Kyiv rejects the proposal

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday a US plan could “lay the foundation” for a Ukraine peace deal, confirming for the first time that Moscow had received a copy from the United States.

“I believe that it could lay the foundation for a final peace settlement,” he said, referring to Washington’s 28-point plan, which enshrines many of Moscow’s key demands and has raised concerns in Kyiv and Europe.

Putin threatened to seize more territory if Kyiv rejects the proposal, saying that the claimed recent capture of Ukrainian city Kupiansk “will inevitably be repeated in other key areas of the front line.” He said that neither Kyiv nor European powers understood the reality that Russian forces were advancing in Ukraine and would continue to advance unless there was peace.