VLADIMIR Putin’s envoys stalled peace moves in Saudi Arabia yesterday.
The Russian tyrant wants Ukraine virtually defenceless.
Demands include no Western arms and the freezing of front lines to secure his seizure of a fifth of the invaded nation.
Putin’s henchmen — diplomat Grigory Karasin and FSB security agency chief Sergei Beseda — trotted out a list of conditions amid US efforts to broker a deal in Saudi capital Riyadh.
Ukraine’s delegation were first to meet Donald Trump’s negotiators on Sunday evening, having already agreed to abide by a 30-day ceasefire on all fronts.
Putin’s team met US middle men separately, seeking a deal to cut trade sanctions on Russia.
But there was no sign of a ceasefire as Putin’s stalling tactics ensured continuing carnage in Ukraine.
And pessimism grew amid Ukrainian fury over a top Trump aide’s praise for Putin.
Steve Witkoff said: “I don’t regard Putin as a bad guy — he’s super smart.
“I thought that he was straight up with me.”
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