Putin: If the negotiations fail, we are prepared to end the war by force

Russian President Vladimir Putin told Ukraine on Wednesday that if it could "remain rational", there would be a chance to end the war through negotiations, but if the negotiations failed, he was prepared to end the war by force.

Reuters reported that Putin said at a press conference in Beijing on Wednesday (September 3) that given the sincere efforts made by the United States to resolve this largest land war in Europe since World War II, he saw "a glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel".

He told reporters, "In my opinion, if common sense prevails, it is possible to reach an acceptable solution to end this conflict." This is my speculation... Otherwise, we will have to resort to force to solve all the problems we are facing.

Putin also said that if Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visits Moscow, he is prepared to hold talks with him, but any such talks must be well-prepared and yield substantive results.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sergei Serbiga made it "unacceptable" to hold the Russia-Ukraine summit in Moscow.

Zelensky arrived in Paris on Wednesday to prepare for a security meeting with European officials. He said there was no sign that Russia wanted to end the war.

Zelensky told reporters at the French presidential Palace, "Regrettably, we have not yet seen Russia's willingness to end the war."

He added that he believed Allies in Kyiv would increase pressure on Russia, prompting Moscow to seek a diplomatic solution.