Putin rejects ceasefire on long range strikes with Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed the idea of a ceasefire covering long-range strikes with Ukraine, as Moscow intensifies its aerial campaign against Kyiv. Speaking on Thursday at the Valdai political forum in Moscow, he mocked the notion of Ukraine halting attacks on Russian refineries in exchange for Russia stopping strikes on Ukrainian ships, calling the idea absurd.

His comments came after a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in New York on September 22, during which Zelenskyy indicated Kyiv could halt strikes on Russian oil refineries and energy sites if Moscow reciprocated by ending its attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

Putin said Ukraine's strikes on Russian refineries had partly succeeded in their aims, costing Russia around 1 percent of its GDP, but noted that Russia was now retaliating in a similar manner. Russia has escalated long-range strikes on Ukraine, targeting steel producers and supply networks, particularly the railway sector. Ukraine says Russia is deliberately hitting civilian infrastructure and keeping the capital under constant threat ahead of another difficult winter.

On Thursday, a Russian drone hit a school in Kyiv amid continuous aerial attacks on the city, according to local officials. No injuries were reported, as students and staff had taken shelter before the strike.

Putin said Russia would prefer to resolve the conflict through negotiations and wants Ukraine to adopt neutral status once the fighting ends. He also cautioned Western nations against escalating tensions by threatening the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, located between Poland and Lithuania, vowing to defend it with nuclear weapons if required.