Russia's talks proposal aims to end conflict instead of freeze it - Putin

MOSCOW. June 14 (Interfax) - The new Russian proposal for settling the Ukraine conflict aims to end it rather than freeze it, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday.

"Today we make another specific, genuine peace proposal. If Kiev and Western capitals reject it, as they have done before, and after all that's their business, they will bear political and moral responsibility for the continuation of the bloodshed," Putin said at a meeting with the Russian Foreign Ministry's leadership.

"Obviously, the reality on the ground, at the front, will continue to change, but not in favor of the Kiev regime, and the conditions for starting negotiations will be different," he said.

"The essence of our proposal is not some temporary truce or ceasefire, which is what the West wants in order to compensate for the losses, rearm the Kiev regime and prepare it for a new offensive," Putin said.

"I repeat: this is not about freezing the conflict, this is about ending it. I will tell you one more thing: as soon as Kiev agrees to the course of action proposed today, agrees to fully withdraw troops from the DPR, the LPR, and the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, and actually starts the process, we will be ready to begin negotiations without delay," he said.