MOSCOW, October 25. /TASS/. Ukraine has approached Russia twice with initiatives mediated by Turkey but has promptly retracted them, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on the "60 Minutes" talk show on Rossiya-1 television.

Moscow and Pyongyang will independently decide whether and how to utilize provisions for military assistance from their bilateral treaty on comprehensive strategic partnership, the Russian leader told TV channel reporter Olga Skabeyeva.

TASS has gathered key statements from the head of state.

On talks with Ukraine

Russia has never refused to engage with Ukraine on various initiatives but will not compromise its interests in any negotiations, Putin emphasized. "We have always maintained that Russian interests must be respected in any agreement," he stressed.

Ukraine has approached Russia twice with proposals through Turkish mediation but subsequently walked back its initiatives. "When we agreed, it turned out that the Ukrainian side had already withdrawn. This happened twice," he revealed.

At the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented new proposals for dialogue with Kiev regarding shipping in the Black Sea and "some other issues," Putin said.

According to him, it is too early to determine what Russia and Ukraine can agree on, as no detailed talks between Moscow and Kiev have yet taken place. "I would prefer not to go into specifics right now, as no detailed negotiations are underway, while the opponents back away," Putin added.

On special military op

Russia must conduct its special military operation with full commitment and dismiss any notions of the enemy’s fatigue, Putin stated.

Any resolution of the conflict in Ukraine must benefit Russia, taking into account the realities on the battlefield, he insisted.

The Russian Armed Forces have been on the offensive along the entire line of engagement, the president noted.

Even as the Ukrainian military has attempted to relieve its encircled troops in Russia's border Kursk Region, it has lost stable command and control of these units, Putin argued. "We sense that those encircled do not even fully understand they have been surrounded. Judging by the information we have, stable troop command and control has been lost," Russia’s supreme commander-in-chief emphasized.

On relations with the West

The West is beginning to soberly assess the situation surrounding Ukraine and is changing its rhetoric toward Russia, but the level of confrontation remains high, Putin maintained. "However, today the rhetoric has changed. We can see this, and, as I’ve stated, they should be commended for beginning to think and assess the situation realistically," the Russian leader said.

On Russia-DPRK treaty

Russia and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) are free to determine whether and how to invoke the military assistance article of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty, Putin said. "This will be our sovereign decision regarding whether to put something into practice, as well as how and where to do so. We may choose to engage only in conducting exercises, training, and sharing certain experiences. This is entirely our own business," Putin pointed out.