Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to deliver a speech at 0900 GMT in central Moscow where he will address members of parliament, military officials, and political leaders, on the status of the war in Ukraine.
According to the Kremlin, the East European leader will also give his analysis on international relations with his country while outlining his vision following the imposition of economic sanctions by the West.
Despite pending sentiments by Moscow’s leader, Josep Borrell, the European Union’s foreign policy chief said the regional bloc will approve additional sanctions on Russia before Feb 24, which marks the anniversary of the Kremlin’s “special military operation” in Ukraine.
Putin’s speech will come amid a recent trip by U.S. President Joe Biden to Ukraine’s capital Kyiv where he met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday.
“When Putin launched his invasion nearly one year ago, he thought Ukraine was weak and the West was divided,” said Biden during his meeting with Kyiv’s leader.
“He thought he could outlast us. But he was dead wrong,” he added.
In response to sentiments echoed by Biden, Zelenskyy said the visit by Washington’s leader to his nation marked a pivotal moment in relations between the two nations.
“This visit of the U.S. president to Ukraine, the first for 15 years, is the most important visit in the entire history of Ukraine-U.S. relations,” said Zelenskyy.
Tatiana Stanovaya, a Russian political analyst said the Kremlin made sure that there were no attacks on Ukraine during Biden’s trip to Eastern Europe.
“Of course, for the Kremlin this will be seen as further proof that the United States has bet on Russia’s strategic defeat in the war and that the war itself has turned irrevocably into a war between Russia and the West,” said Stanovaya.