President Putin: We Want To Play War, Better

Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Source: Kremlin)

JAKARTA - President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday Russia wanted to end the war in Ukraine and this would definitely involve a diplomatic solution.

President Putin made comments a day after US President Joe Biden hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, promising continued and immovable US support.

"Our goal is not to turn the wheel of the military conflict, but vice versa, to end this war," President Putin said.

"We will try to end this, and of course the sooner the better," he said.

Meanwhile, White House spokesman John Kirby said President Putin "at all showed no indication he was willing to negotiate" to end the war, which began when Moscow sent troops to Ukraine on February 24.

"In fact, the opposite," Kirby told reporters during an online briefing.

"Everything he (Putin) does on land and in the air shows a man who wants to continue to commit violence against the Ukrainian people" and "enhanced war."

Kirby reiterated that President Biden was open to talks with Putin, but only after the Russian leader "showed seriousness about negotiations" and after consulting with Ukraine and US allies.

Russia has continued to say it is open to negotiations, but Ukraine and its allies suspect the tactics to buy time after a series of defeats and backward Russia which has been swinging the momentum of war for 10 months for Kyiv.

"I have said many times: the intensification of hostilities causes unjustified losses," President Putin told reporters.

"All armed conflict ends in one way or another in a kind of diplomatic manner," he added.

"Sooner or later, any party in a conflict situation sits down and makes an agreement. The sooner this awareness comes to those who oppose us, the better. We never give up on this," he explained.

Russia says Ukraine is refusing to speak. On the other hand, Kyiv said Russia must stop its attack and surrender all territory it has captured.

Regarding the United States' administration of the Patriot system to Ukraine, President Putin said it was " quite old" and did not function like Russia's S-300 system.

"Defect of poison will always be found," he said.

"So those who did it were in vain. It only extended the conflict, that's all," he said.