On January 28, Putin made a number of false statements about Ukraine and possible negotiations. This was in the dictator's interview with the author of the program "Moscow. Kremlin. Putin" program on Russia 1 TV channel Pavel Zarubin. According to Putin, Moscow allegedly offered Kyiv to "withdraw from the LPR and DPR," and then there would be no full-scale war. This statement is fake, because in 2022, the Kremlin clearly articulated its goal, which was the complete destruction of Ukrainian statehood. The proposal to "leave the DPR and LPR" was an ultimatum, not a peaceful initiative. It demanded that Ukraine surrender without a fight, effectively recognizing the loss of its territories. Everyone is well aware that if Russian troops took control of the entire Luhansk and Donetsk regions without a fight, it would have encouraged Moscow to make further demands, literally over the next months, even years. The next demand would be for a land corridor to Crimea, then the return of the Russian-speaking cities of Kharkiv and Odesa, and so on ad infinitum. The dictator has planned all this very well himself, but as always during interviews he tries to mislead his own and international television audience. Moscow's recognition of the so-called "DPR" and "LPR" before the full-scale invasion was a gross violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. In fact, Russia created the "DPR" and "LPR" as a tool to destabilize Kyiv in order to consolidate its illegal gains and completely subjugate Ukraine politically. 

As for possible negotiations, Putin said that Volodymyr Zelenskyy is allegedly "illegitimate" and therefore "has no right to sign anything." This is a pure Kremlin narrative. After all, the legitimacy of the current president of Ukraine is not questioned either in Ukraine or anywhere else in the world except Moscow. Volodymyr Zelenskyy was elected head of state in 2019 in free and democratic elections that met international standards. His legitimacy is recognized by all democratic countries of the world. The Russian political system has long lost its democratic credentials through the suppression of opposition, election fraud, and control of the media. Putin has been rigging elections for 25 years. Take away the Kremlin's access and control of the Central Election Commission's server and then all these figures with voter turnout and the level of support for Putin will fall significantly.    

Putin also said that everything would be over in a month and a half to two months if Kyiv's partners' sponsorship money and ammunition ran out. He is convinced that the West has persuaded Kyiv to continue the war, and that Ukraine's sovereignty is almost zero. Meanwhile, it is clear to everyone that the war in Ukraine began not because of the actions of the West or Kyiv, but because of unprovoked aggression by Russia, which invaded Ukraine's sovereign territory in violation of international law. Western assistance is provided at Kyiv's request, as it helps to fight the aggressor, not imposed. The armed conflict continues because of Russia's refusal to stop the aggression, withdraw its troops and comply with international law. The West supports Ukraine because of shared democratic values and responsibility for security in Europe and the world. Capitulation to the aggressor would not end the conflict, but would only encourage Russia to continue its violence and expansion. Ukraine's sovereignty is confirmed by numerous international treaties, and Russia's violation of it has drawn global condemnation. The support from the US, EU and other partners is a voluntary response to Russian aggression, not an indication of Ukraine's loss of sovereignty. All decisions regarding the war and negotiations are made exclusively by the leadership in Kyiv. The support of the international community demonstrates the recognition of Ukraine's full sovereignty and that only Russian aggression threatens it. Despite the large-scale war, Ukraine has maintained a functioning economy, thanks to the mobilization of domestic resources, business support, and the cohesion of its citizens. Even if aid is delayed or reduced, Ukraine is ready to continue its resistance thanks to national production and domestic reserves. 

Putin in the interview also tried to impose the idea that negotiations on the settlement of the Russian-Ukrainian war between the US and Russia without the participation of Ukraine are inevitable. However, official statements by representatives of the US, NATO and the EU emphasize: "Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine". According to international law, no agreement can be concluded without the participation of the sovereign state it will affect. Even theoretically, any attempt to force Ukraine to compromise on the aggressor's terms would legitimize the violent seizure of its territories and destroy the system of international law that emerged after World War II. Russia will inspire other authoritarian regimes to do the same. China may intensify its plans in the Far East and the Pacific, Iran may increase destabilization in the Middle East, and other regional players with aggressive intentions will unleash new conflicts. This will create a new geopolitical reality in which dictatorships will gain an advantage over democracies.  The West will lose its moral authority and ability to be a guarantor of justice and stability. Therefore, it is obvious that Ukraine should get a just peace based on international law, territorial integrity and security guarantees. 

There was another false thesis of Putin that "V. Zelensky seems to be an illegitimate leader today and cannot cancel his own ban on negotiations with Russia." The ban on negotiations with Russia is not a personal decision of Zelenskyy, but a part of a policy that is in line with Ukraine's national interests. Moscow is trying to discredit the Ukrainian president because it cannot influence his position. Such statements are part of an information war aimed at undermining trust among both Ukrainians and international partners. Western countries recognize Zelenskyy as the legitimate president of Ukraine and a partner in the struggle for democracy. 

Another provocative thesis of Putin that "according to the Constitution of Ukraine, the President has no right to extend his powers even under martial law." According to Article 83 of the Constitution of Ukraine, in the event of martial law, the term of office of the Verkhovna Rada, the President and other authorities is automatically extended until the end of martial law and new elections are held. In many democracies that have experienced war, elections have been postponed and the powers of leaders extended to preserve state integrity. The civilized world understands these steps as part of the democratic process in times of war. This is a generally recognized practice that is in line with the principles of international law. Under martial law, holding elections is impossible due to threats to the security of the country, its voters, and provokes the risk of general destabilization.  This is what Moscow would like. 

In general, Putin's interview was another action in Russia's information aggression against Ukraine. The Kremlin leader tried to once again push Moscow's narratives to the audience, which are tiring not only for international experts but also for its own citizens. Putin is becoming uninteresting, so in order to draw attention to his personality, the interview allegedly took place in the president's car. In other words, Putin is supposedly so busy with state affairs that he talks to a journalist in a car to save time. However, many people know that Putin has been at his workplace for years and has only been there for a few hours. This is another manipulation of the Kremlin media, like everything else the dictator has said.