Putin cautions entrepreneurs: Don't expect swift peace in Ukraine

According to Rustamova, Putin addressed entrepreneurs during the private segment of the Congress of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, held on 18th March, even before the telephone conversation between the Russian president and Donald Trump.

- Let me put it this way: the president advised us not to be naive and to understand how many people and interests are involved in the processes currently taking place - said one of the meeting participants.

According to another source who also attended the meeting, Putin believes that the U.S. and the West "will still find a way to exert pressure on us, even if the sanctions are lifted."

- This apparatus (of the war with Ukraine, sanctions - ed.) will not be easily dismantled - said one entrepreneur.

Another participant stated that Putin maintained a "positive but realistic" perspective on the issue of the war with Ukraine. - There was no unfounded optimism that (negotiating peace) would be possible swiftly - he said.

Putin urged the entrepreneurs not to celebrate prematurely and "not to expect that the sanctions will be lifted tomorrow."

During the public portion of the meeting, Putin remarked that "nothing will be the same" when commenting on the potential return of Western companies to Russia. - There is no point in anticipating complete freedom of trade, payments, and capital flow. We cannot rely on Western mechanisms for the protection of investors' and entrepreneurs' rights - he said.

According to "Kommersant," Putin also mentioned during the meeting that Russia will not claim rights to "Odessa and other territories" of Ukraine if Crimea and the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions are recognised as Russian territories.

Following Trump's conversation with Putin, the Kremlin issued a statement that the Russian president agreed to a 30-day suspension of attacks on energy facilities. However, the very next night, Russia struck Ukraine.