Russian President Vladimir Putin has hailed what he called significant gains by Russian forces in Ukraine, using his annual press conference in Moscow to warn that Moscow is prepared to push further if peace efforts fail. The marathon question and answer event, a hallmark of his nearly 25 years in power, was dominated by the war and Russia’s confrontation with the West.
Putin claimed that Russian troops now hold the strategic initiative along most of the front line. He said his forces have created, and intend to expand, a “security buffer zone” near Russia’s border to prevent Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory.
The Russian leader repeated that the Kremlin’s goals in Ukraine remain unchanged. He insisted that the objectives of what Moscow still calls its “special military operation” will be fully achieved, either through negotiations or by force.
Putin said Russia would prefer to reach its aims through diplomacy that “eliminates the root causes of the conflict.” But he warned that if Kyiv and its Western backers refuse what he described as “serious talks,” Russia will seek to extend its territorial gains by military means.
He again demanded recognition of Russian control over territories in four Ukrainian regions, as well as Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014 and claims as its own. He also repeated that Ukraine must abandon its bid to join NATO, calling any deployment of NATO troops in the country a “legitimate target” for Russian forces.
During the press conference and recent public remarks, Putin also stepped up his rhetorical attacks on Western leaders. He mocked some European heads of government as “piglets” and said dialogue with Europe is unlikely with current elites, predicting talks would only become possible after political changes there.
Putin praised the diplomatic efforts of US President Donald Trump, who has been pushing for a negotiated settlement after nearly four years of full scale war. Putin echoed Trump’s claim that the invasion would not have occurred under Trump’s earlier tenure and accused the previous US administration and some European allies of misjudging Russia’s resilience.
Western governments and Ukraine have rejected Russia’s conditions, saying they amount to a demand for the recognition of illegal land grabs. They insist that any peace deal must respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and warn that Russia is using calls for negotiations to buy time while preparing further offensives.
Military analysts note that Russia has made incremental advances in recent months but at a high cost in troops and equipment. They say Moscow is likely to continue missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure over the winter in an effort to break morale and strain the country’s energy system.
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