In Front Of President Erdogan, Vladimir Putin Calls Ukraine's Counterattack Failed

President Erdogan with President Putin in Sochi. (Source: Presidency of The Republic of Turkey)

JAKARTA - Russian President Vladimir Putin said Ukraine's retaliatory attacks had failed, expecting this frontline trend to continue.

"Regarding the cessation of a retaliatory attack (Ukraine), this is not a halt to attacks, this is a failure," President Putin told a news conference with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after a closed meeting in Sochi.

"However, this is what it looks like today. We'll see what happens next. I hope it will continue like this," he continued.

On the occasion, President Putin also reiterated that Russia had never refused to negotiate to end the war in Ukraine.

"Russia has never refused to negotiate. Neither have we rejected this time," he said.

He added that President Erdogan raised issues about the war in Ukraine in talks between the two leaders at a meeting in Sochi yesterday.

It is known that the Ukrainian military launched a counter-attack against Russia to retake their occupied areas in early June.

In addition to the Ukraine issue, the two leaders also discussed a number of other issues, including efforts to restore the Black Sea Grain Agreement.

After the meeting, both President Putin and President Erdogan imply good news, if this agreement is very likely to resume.