Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Russian forces are advancing every day in Ukraine and expressed confidence that Moscow will ultimately prevail in the conflict, while maintaining that any peace settlement would require concessions from Kyiv.
Speaking to foreign media editors on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin said Russian troops continued to make gains on the battlefield and had expanded their control in territories claimed by Moscow.
“The offensive is ongoing on a daily basis,” Putin said, adding that Russia had taken full control of the Luhansk region and controlled most of the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.
He said Russia’s military, industrial capacity and determination gave it an advantage in the war, now in its fifth year, and suggested that peace remained possible if Ukraine was prepared to compromise. Putin also said proposals discussed with US President Donald Trump could help bring the conflict to an end if accepted by Kyiv.
Putin’s comments came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy published an open letter proposing a meeting between the two leaders to discuss ending the war. The Kremlin said Putin was aware of the message but had not yet reviewed it in detail.
The Russian leader reiterated that Moscow still wants control of the remainder of the Donbas region, a position Kyiv has repeatedly rejected. Analysts cited by Reuters noted that while Russia continues to make advances, some Western and Ukrainian military experts believe the pace of those gains has slowed significantly.
Putin also said Russia would continue strengthening its air defences to counter increasing Ukrainian drone attacks, which have targeted infrastructure and military facilities deep inside Russian territory.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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