Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine may be nearing its conclusion.
Speaking after Saturday’s scaled-back Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Putin stated: “I think that the matter is coming to an end,” referring to the “special military operation” in Ukraine, while simultaneously condemning Western support for Kyiv.
The parade, which commemorated the Soviet victory in World War Two, conspicuously lacked its usual display of tanks and missiles. This reduction was reportedly due to authorities’ concerns that Ukraine might target Red Square.
A US-brokered ceasefire had reportedly reduced the immediate danger of attacks, allowing the parade to proceed without incident. However, Ukraine and Russia later exchanged accusations of violating the three-day truce.
In his speech, Putin asserted that Russia was fighting a “just” war and characterized Ukraine as an “aggressive force” that was being “armed and supported by the whole bloc of NATO.”
Later, during a news conference, when questioned about Western assistance to Ukraine, Putin remarked: “They (the West) promised assistance and then began fuelling a confrontation with Russia that continues to this day. I think that the matter is coming to an end, but it is a serious matter.”
Historical Context
Russian forces seized Crimea and parts of eastern Ukraine in 2014, subsequently launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Putin indicated that he would only meet with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky once a lasting peace deal had been agreed upon.
He elaborated: “A meeting in a third country is also possible, but only once final agreements have been reached on a peace treaty for a long-term historical perspective, to take part in this event and sign (the treaty), but it must be a final step.”
Putin mentioned hearing that Zelensky was ready to hold a personal meeting, but added that “this is not the first time we have heard such statements.”
Putin also stated his willingness to negotiate new security arrangements for Europe, identifying Germany’s former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder as his preferred negotiating partner.
Schröder is known as a longstanding friend of Putin and has been a controversial figure due to his work for Russian state-owned energy firms.
Last week, European Council President António Costa expressed his belief in the “potential” for the EU to negotiate with Russia, noting that Zelensky reportedly favored such a move. Quoted by the Financial Times, Costa stated he was consulting EU leaders on “what we need effectively to discuss with Russia when it comes to the right moment to do this.”
As part of a US-led ceasefire deal over the weekend, Kyiv and Moscow had reportedly agreed to a swap of 1,000 prisoners from each country. However, Putin stated on Saturday that Russia had not yet received communication from Ukraine regarding any exchanges.
On Sunday, Russia accused Ukraine of repeated ceasefire violations, citing more than 6,000 drone strikes and hundreds of artillery attacks. Concurrently, Ukraine reported several people injured from Russian drone attacks in the Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Victory Day Parade Details
Notably, for the first time in nearly two decades, there was no military hardware displayed at the Red Square parade, an event the Kremlin typically uses to project Russian military power on the international stage.
Furthermore, significantly fewer journalists were present at the event, with many international media organizations reportedly not granted access.
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