Putin-Could Withdraw From Grain Deal; We Have Never Rejected Peace Talks

Russian President Vladimir Putin states 'We have never rejected talks which could lead to peace settlement...The western approach is about Ukraine's interests...Key to solving the problem is on the side of the West...The only way to end the conflict is to stop the supply of weapons to Ukraine.'

• Putin: 'If they want, we are ready to talk, but for now they seek Russia's defeat...There are many people in the US who do not want WWIII.'
• Says that he is considering withdrawing from the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Russian officials have frequently raised the prospect of terminating the deal, but Putin's comments are the most high-profile so far. At present the deal could end on 17 July.
• Says that the grain deal 'is in our interests to support relations with the part of the world that does not support Western aggression.' Says that he will discuss the grain deal with leaders of some African nations who are visiting Moscow and Kyiv at the end of this week in an effort to promote peace talks.
• Separately on the future of the war, Putin declines to state whether Russia will launch its own offensive operation, saying that 'we have different plans depending on the situation'. Putin: 'Russia will decide its own future actions in Ukraine once the Ukrainian counteroffensive is over based on what [our] own potential is.'