"Putin Mocks Ukraine Peace Conference as Top Envoys Review Formula"

Russian President Vladimir Putin mocked the upcoming Ukraine peace talks in Switzerland, stating that Russia will not accept any enforced peace plans that ignore its interests. He criticized the lack of invitation for Russia to the talks while emphasizing that a peace process cannot happen without Russia. Putin reiterated Russia's refusal to accept any peace schemes that do not align with its interests and claimed that Russian forces have the upper hand in Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also dismissed the planned peace talks as a Western ruse to garner international support for Kyiv.