Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested that the long-running conflict between Russia and Ukraine may be nearing an end. Speaking to reporters in Moscow after Russia’s Victory Day celebrations, Putin said he believes the situation is moving towards a conclusion, though he described it as a serious issue which still requires careful handling.
The comments came after a noticeably smaller military parade at Red Square in Moscow, held to mark the Soviet Union’s victory in World War Two. Unlike previous years, the event did not feature the usual display of tanks, missiles and heavy military equipment. Authorities reportedly reduced the scale of the parade because of security concerns and fears that Ukraine could target the event with drone attacks.
A temporary ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, reportedly helped by US President Donald Trump, lowered tensions over the weekend and allowed the parade to take place without any incident.
Earlier in the day, Vladimir Putin used his Victory Day speech to defend Russia’s actions in Ukraine. He described the conflict as a fair and necessary fight and accused Ukraine of becoming hostile with support from NATO countries. He also criticised Western nations for continuing to supply military aid to Kyiv, saying their involvement had increased tensions with Russia over the years.
Russia first took control of Crimea and parts of eastern Ukraine in 2014. The conflict then expanded into a full-scale war in February 2022 when Russian forces launched a major invasion of Ukraine. Since then, the war has caused heavy casualties, destruction and international tensions.
During the press conference, Vladimir Putin said he would only agree to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after both sides reached a final long-term peace agreement. He mentioned that such a meeting could happen in a neutral country and should only take place at the final stage of peace negotiations. Vladimir Putin added that he had heard statements from Volodymyr Zelensky expressing readiness for talks but said similar comments had been made before.
The Russian leader also said that he was open to discussing a new security arrangement for Europe. Interestingly, he named former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder as his preferred negotiation partner. Schröder has long maintained close ties with Vladimir Putin and has faced criticism for working with Russian state-owned energy companies after leaving office.
Meanwhile, European Council President António Costa recently said there may be room for future negotiations between the European Union and Russia. According to reports, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also supports exploring diplomatic talks at the right time.
As part of the US-backed ceasefire agreement, both Russia and Ukraine agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners each. However, Vladimir Putin claimed Russia had not yet received confirmation from Ukraine regarding the exchange process.
This year’s Victory Day parade was also unusual because international media presence was heavily limited. Many foreign news organisations were reportedly denied access, making the event far smaller and quieter than in previous years.
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