Russian state TV host gives a curious justification that sanctions are giving Putin a green light to continue the Ukraine war: 'There is nothing left to lose'

• A Russian state TV host claimed that continuing sanctions give Putin a green light to wage war.
• Olga Skabeyeva fabricated remarks from the Dutch Prime Minister she claimed he said recently.

A Russian state TV host said the sweeping economic sanctions imposed on her country have given President Vladimir Putin justification to continue waging war in Ukraine.

During a recent broadcast on Russia-1, Olga Skabeyeva brought up a speech delivered by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as he addressed Russia's war against Ukraine in Madrid on Wednesday, according to a clip shared by BBC journalist Francis Scarr.

"Rutte said that any peace agreement with the loss of territories and sovereignty by Ukraine will not lead to the end of sanctions against Russia," Skabeyeva said on-air.

She then falsely atrributed a "direct quote" to the Dutch leader about the sanctions lasting "forever," a line he never said in the speech, according to a transcript.

Skabeyeva — using the false quote as justification — added: "Russia is offered in plain text to go to the end. There is nothing left to lose."

Rutte never made the remark during his speech. Instead, he said: "Let me make one thing very clear: a peace agreement at gunpoint, with the loss of Ukrainian territory and sovereignty, is not the way to get back to normal. Nor will it automatically lead to easing our sanctions."

Skabeyeva's justification is the latest of Russia's attempts to try to justify the Ukraine invasion and the deadly war that has ensued since.

Translations by Oleksandr Vynogradov.