Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected a proposal from Washington, backed by Kyiv, for Russia and Ukraine to mutually halt long-range strikes. He also said Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries had cost Russia about 1% of its GDP.
This was reported by Le Monde.
Asked about the possibility of a mutual halt to long-range strikes, Putin said he did not agree with the proposal.
“We are told: ‘Let them stop striking your refineries, and you will stop striking their ships.’ It is simply ridiculous,” he said.
When the Russian president was directly asked what Moscow’s response to the idea was, he replied: “No.”
Putin acknowledged losses from strikes on refineries
Putin also said that Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries had led to a loss of around 1% of Russia’s GDP.
Ukraine has been targeting Russian refineries, oil and fuel depots, as well as export infrastructure, in an effort to reduce Moscow’s energy revenues.
Russia, in turn, has intensified strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure. According to Le Monde, Russian attacks have targeted, among other things, steel companies, logistics chains, railway infrastructure and major warehouses.
The strikes have also complicated Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea, which are an important source of revenue for Ukraine.
Putin raises possibility of returning Western companies’ assets
During his appearance at the Valdai forum, Putin also commented on the fate of Western companies’ assets in Russia.
He said enterprises that Moscow had taken under its control had allegedly not been nationalized and could be returned to their owners under a “favorable scenario.”
Last month, Putin ordered the seizure of assets belonging to Swiss company Nestlé, French retailer Auchan, the former Leroy Merlin chain and German company Metro.
Asked whether those assets could be returned, he replied in the affirmative.
“We do not take, steal or nationalize anything from anyone,” Putin said, adding that some enterprises are placed under external management.
At the same time, he accused European countries of seizing Russian assets and mentioned, in particular, the property of Gazprom, Rosneft and Lukoil.
After Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, many Western companies sold or significantly reduced their operations in Russia. Moscow later made it more difficult for foreign companies to leave the Russian market, including by requiring presidential approval for certain transactions.
