Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Ukraine is likely to engage in peace talks only when it exhausts its resources. Speaking at an economic forum in Vladivostok, Putin said that Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russian forces had not succeeded, resulting in heavy losses for the Ukrainian army.
Putin suggested that Ukraine might seek a cessation of hostilities to rearm with Western assistance once its resources are depleted. He mentioned that many potential mediators had inquired about Russia’s willingness to stop fighting, but he emphasized that Russia couldn’t halt the conflict while facing a Ukrainian counteroffensive.
For any peace talks to take place, Putin stated that Ukraine must first lift its self-imposed legal ban on such negotiations and clarify its objectives. Russia currently controls approximately 18% of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea (annexed in 2014) and parts of eastern and southern Ukraine.
The conflict has caused significant devastation and casualties in Ukraine and strained Russia’s relations with the West. Ukraine has been striving to regain control of some of the occupied territory but has faced challenges due to heavily fortified Russian positions and landmines.
Ukraine’s goal is to remove all Russian soldiers from its land, while Western nations express a desire to support Ukraine in countering Russia—a goal that Russian officials consider unrealistic.
Putin criticized the West for supplying Ukraine with cluster bombs, depleted uranium munitions, and F-16 jets, labeling it a crime. He argued that while such supplies might prolong the war, they would not alter its ultimate outcome.
Regarding the need for a new compulsory mobilization in Russia, Putin noted that 1,000 to 1,500 Russians were signing voluntary contracts to join the military every day. Over the past six or seven months, approximately 270,000 individuals have signed such contracts, according to Putin’s statement.