Putin Calls Ukraine War a 'Tragedy' at G20 Summit
Analysts Skeptical of Putin's Peace Talk Comments; Ukraine Welcomes Western Allies' Air Defense Coalition, Finland Closes Border Crossings with Russia
- Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a rare interaction with Western leaders, called the war in Ukraine a 'tragedy' and said it was necessary to think about how to stop it during a virtual G20 summit.
- Putin's comments were met with skepticism by analysts who believe they are designed to pressure the West into pushing Ukraine back to the negotiating table.
- Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the formation of a 20-nation 'coalition' by Western allies to boost Ukraine's air defenses.
- Finland is closing all but the most northern border crossing point with Russia, alleging that Russia is encouraging migrants to travel to the border.
- The U.K. noted that a select group of mercenaries from the Wagner Group private military company were issued with official veteran identification documents, signaling a 'rehabilitation' of some elements by the Russian administration.
Al Jazeera 
