Putin's new move: What will Zelensky answer?
Vladimir Putin humorously commented on Volodymyr Zelenskyy's threats to begin issuing Ukrainian passports in Russia in response to Moscow's decision to simplify the process of granting Russian citizenship to the LPR and DPR.
"Is it true? Did he say so? This is very good. This suggests that we will come to an agreement, probably because we have a lot in common. I have said many times that Ukrainians and Russians are fraternal peoples. And even more than that: I generally believe that this is actually one people, with its own characteristics: cultural, linguistic, historical, but essentially one people. And if we have common citizenship, both Russians and Ukrainians will benefit from this, we will be stronger and more successful.
As for freedom and so on, this is also an important point. But in this sense, it’s probably better to start not even with Russia, not with the Russians, but, say, with Georgia or with former Georgians. For example, it would be fair to return a Ukrainian passport to a person who in the past was a Georgian, but today considers himself a Ukrainian, I mean Mikhail Nikolaevich Saakashvili.
He was illegally deprived, in my opinion, of citizenship, illegally expelled from the country. He should be returned and his violated rights restored. Just like some other citizens of Ukraine who were forced to leave the territory of the country and go to the promised lands, fleeing the persecution of the current Ukrainian regime,” Putin said today in Moscow in response to a journalist’s request to comment on Zelensky’s words.
Putin 's New Move: How Will Zelensky Respond?