Vladimir Putin on Saturday said he believed the war between Russia and Ukraine was nearing its end, marking one of his strongest signals yet that Moscow could be open to a broader settlement after more than four years of fighting.
“I think that the matter is coming to an end,” Putin told reporters at the Kremlin following Russia’s Victory Day celebrations.
The Russian president also said he was willing to negotiate new security arrangements for Europe and named former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder as his preferred negotiating partner.
Putin’s remarks came hours after he used his Victory Day speech in Moscow’s Red Square to defend Russia’s war in Ukraine and accuse NATO of fueling the conflict.
Speaking during Russia’s annual celebration marking the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, Putin described Ukraine as an “aggressive force” supported by the NATO alliance.
The parade itself was notably scaled back compared to previous years, with no tanks, ballistic missiles or heavy military hardware displayed in Red Square. Instead, giant screens showed footage of Russian military equipment being used on the battlefield in Ukraine.
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 in what Moscow calls a “special military operation,” triggering the deepest confrontation between Russia and the West since the Cold War.
Putin blamed Western leaders for the conflict, accusing them of breaking promises made after the fall of the Berlin Wall by expanding NATO eastward and attempting to pull Ukraine closer to the European Union.
Despite repeated pledges to continue fighting until Russia achieves all its objectives, Putin’s latest comments suggested Moscow may now be considering an eventual political resolution to the conflict.
The war has killed hundreds of thousands of people, devastated large parts of Ukraine and severely strained relations between Russia and Europe.
Russian forces currently control nearly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, although advances on the battlefield have slowed in recent months.
Meanwhile, a ceasefire announced by Donald Trump from Saturday to Monday appeared to hold, with both Moscow and Kyiv agreeing to exchange 1,000 prisoners.
“I’d like to see it stop. Russia-Ukraine it’s the worst thing since World War Two in terms of life,” Trump said in Washington.
“There were no reports of violations of the ceasefire from either Moscow or Kyiv,” according to the report.
Putin also said a meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy could happen, but only after a lasting peace agreement had been reached.
European leaders have continued to back Ukraine militarily and financially, while Russia has accused Western governments of prolonging the conflict through weapons support and intelligence cooperation.
Erizia Rubyjeana
