The Russian leader stated that a meeting with Ukraine’s Zelensky could occur only after a permanent peace agreement was established.
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Saturday that he believed the conflict in Ukraine was nearing its conclusion, comments made just hours after he had declared triumph in Ukraine during Moscow’s smallest Victory Day parade in recent years.
“I believe the situation is approaching its conclusion,” Putin stated to journalists regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, Europe’s most severe conflict since World War II.
He further stated that he would be open to discussing new security measures in Europe, with his ideal counterpart for such talks being Germany’s former chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder.
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The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine led to the most significant deterioration in Russia-West relations since the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, a period when global anxiety about nuclear conflict was widespread.
The Kremlin mentioned that the peace negotiations facilitated by the administration of US President Donald Trump are currently on hold. Putin has consistently pledged to continue the conflict until all of Russia’s different objectives are met in what the Russian government refers to as the “special military operation.”
Putin addressed the media at the Kremlin, outlining his perspective on the reasons behind the conflict. He criticized “globalist” Western leaders, claiming they assured that NATO would not extend its reach eastward following the 1989 collapse of the Berlin Wall, yet later attempted to bring Ukraine into the European Union’s influence.
His remarks were made just hours following the parade held on May 9, a national holiday commemorating the Soviet Union’s triumph over Nazi Germany during World War II. This yearly event honors the 27 million Soviet citizens who lost their lives in the conflict.
Rather than the typical intercontinental ballistic missiles, tanks, and missile systems moving across the cobblestones of Red Square, Russia displayed a video showcasing its military equipment on large screens facing the Kremlin walls.
Russian forces have been engaged in conflict in Ukraine for more than four years. This period exceeds the duration of Soviet military involvement in World War II, referred to in Russia as the Great Patriotic War from 1941 to 1945.
Since the end of 1999, Putin has been in power in Russia, either as president or prime minister. He is now dealing with growing concerns in Moscow regarding the conflict in Ukraine, which has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths, devastated large areas of Ukraine, and significantly impacted Russia’s $3 trillion economy. Relations between Russia and Europe are at their worst point since the height of the Cold War.
Russian troops have not yet managed to capture the entire Donbas area in eastern Ukraine, where Ukrainian forces have retreated to a series of fortified cities. This year, Russian progress has slowed, although Moscow holds slightly less than 20% of Ukrainian land.
Following accusations from Russia and Ukraine that each other had breached the unilateral ceasefires they had both announced in recent days, Trump declared a three-day truce running from Saturday to Monday, which received backing from both the Kremlin and Kyiv. The two parties also reached an agreement to exchange 1,000 prisoners.
“I want to see it end. The Russia-Ukraine conflict is the worst situation since World War Two regarding human lives. Twenty-five thousand young soldiers are dying each month. It’s insane,” Trump said to reporters in Washington.
He mentioned that he would “like to witness a significant expansion” of the truce. There were no accounts of ceasefire breaches from either Moscow or Kyiv.
The president of the European Council, Antonio Costa, stated last week that he saw “possibility” in the EU’s ability to engage in talks with Russia and address the future of Europe’s security framework.
When asked if he was open to discussing matters with the Europeans, Putin mentioned that Schröder was his preferred choice.
“Personally, I find the former chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Mr. Schroeder, more appealing,” Putin stated.
European leaders have stated that Russia needs to be defeated in Ukraine, portraying Putin as a war criminal and authoritarian figure who they claim might attack a NATO member if he is permitted to prevail in the conflict. Russia rejects these assertions as baseless.
Putin, who deployed forces into Ukraine in February 2022, portrays European nations as aggressors for providing Ukraine with billions of dollars in aid, arms, and intelligence.
When asked about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Putin stated that a meeting could take place only after a permanent peace agreement was reached.
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This piece was first published in the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), a top news outlet covering China and Asia.
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