Vladmir Putin, President of Russia, has said that the longer the war in Ukraine endures the harder it will be to negotiate with Russia. He also said that Russia was just getting started while with the heads of Russian political parties.

Putin said this in a video made available by RIA Novosti, a pro-Russia media outlet, on Thursday.

“Today we hear that they want to defeat us on the battlefield… Well, what can you say? Let them try,” Putin said.

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“We have already heard many times that the West wants to fight with us to the last Ukrainian. This is a tragedy for the Ukrainian people, but everything seems to be heading that way. But everyone should know that, by and large, we haven’t started anything yet in earnest.

“At the same time, we do not reject peace talks either, but those who reject them should know that the further it goes, the harder it will be for them to negotiate with us.”

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has reached day 135. Putin said the goal of the “special military operation” was to liberate Donetsk and Luhansk. Right now, Russia also aims to capture the south of Ukraine and advance as far as the Transnistria region in Moldova.

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Despite economic sanctions from the European Union and the United States, Russia has continued its assault on Ukraine.