MOSCOW (AP) — President Vladimir Putin stressed Friday that Moscow’s troops are advancing on the battlefield in Ukraine and expressed confidence that the Kremlin will achieve its military goals if Kiev does not agree to Russia’s terms in peace talks.
Speaking at the tightly orchestrated annual news conference, which lasted about 4 1/2 hours, Putin said Russian forces had “fully seized the strategic initiative” and would make more gains by the end of the year.
In the early days of the conflict in 2022, Ukrainian forces foiled an attempt by Russia’s larger and better equipped army to capture the capital Kiev. But the fighting soon settled into grinding battles, and Moscow’s troops made slow and steady progress over the years. Putin frequently praises this progress — even if it’s not the lightning-fast advance many expected.
“Our troops are advancing along the entire line of contact, faster in some areas or slower in others, but the enemy is retreating in all sectors,” Putin said at the live news conference, which is combined with a nationwide phone show that gives Russians across the country the opportunity to ask their leader questions.
Putin, 73, has ruled the country for 25 years and is using the event to consolidate his power and air his views on domestic and global affairs during a show that mixes criticism of the West with promises of more social payments. Although he is sometimes asked about his personal life, he gives few details.
This year, the press conference took place against the background of a peace plan in Ukraine proposed by US President Donald Trump. Despite extensive diplomatic efforts, Washington’s efforts have run into sharply conflicting demands from Moscow and Kiev.
While the event previously focused largely on domestic questions — and gave Putin a chance to broach topics ranging from egg prices to water cuts — Ukraine dominated it this year. As it is highly choreographed, this may reflect the Kremlin’s desire to appease the public after nearly four years of fighting.
Russian demands remain unchanged
Putin praised Trump’s peace efforts and reiterated that Moscow was ready for a peaceful settlement that would address the “root causes” of the conflict, a reference to the Kremlin’s tough conditions for a deal. He said he agreed to make “some compromises” and “unpleasant decisions” at the Alaska summit with Trump in August, but did not elaborate.
He wants all areas of four key regions captured by his forces, as well as the Crimean Peninsula, illegally annexed in 2014, to be recognized as Russian territory. He also insisted that Ukraine withdraw from some areas of eastern Ukraine that Moscow’s forces have not yet captured. Kiev has publicly rejected all these demands.
The Kremlin also insisted that Ukraine drop its bid to join NATO and warned that it would not accept the deployment of troops from members of the military alliance and would consider them a “legitimate target”.
Putin has also repeatedly said Ukraine must limit the size of its military and give official status to the Russian language — demands he has made since the beginning of the conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed his willingness to drop Ukraine’s bid to join NATO if the US and other Western nations offer Kiev security guarantees similar to those offered to alliance members. But at the same time, he emphasized that Ukraine believes that NATO membership remains the best security guarantee.
“The United States does not see us in NATO, for now,” Zelenskyy said this week. “Politicians change”.
Commenting on Zelensky’s statement that he is ready to call presidential elections if a ceasefire is established, Putin responded that Russia held elections without asking for a ceasefire. He said Moscow was ready to consider the issue and could agree to stop attacks deep in Ukraine on election day, but noted that millions of Ukrainians living in Russia must have the right to vote. Ukraine has introduced martial law banning elections, but Russia has made no such move.
Putin dismissed Western claims about alleged Russian plans to attack European nations as “nonsense” aimed at diverting public attention from domestic problems.
He singled out NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in particular for his statements about the Kremlin’s aggressive intentions, pointing to Trump’s recently released national security strategy, which does not name Russia as a direct adversary. “How can you prepare NATO for a war with Russia if the main NATO member does not consider us an enemy?” Putin said.
He argued that European elites had “recklessly” backed Trump’s Democratic rival Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election and now hopes the US political landscape will change after the midterm congressional elections, helping to increase pressure on the White House.
Putin says confiscation of Russian assets will backfire on him
As it faces Russian advances across the front line and relentless attacks on its energy facilities, Ukraine is desperate for infusions from its Western allies.
On Friday, European Union leaders agreed to a massive interest-free loan but failed to resolve differences with Belgium that would have allowed them to use frozen Russian assets to raise the funds.
The leaders tried to reassure Belgium, where most of the frozen assets are held, that they would protect it from any retaliation from Moscow if it supported the plan, but the leaders ultimately opted to borrow the money on the capital markets.
Using Russian assets to help Kiev would have amounted to “robbery”, Putin said, adding that the move would have spooked investors, “delivering not only an image blow but undermining confidence in the euro zone”.
Putin says the number of troops is high
Putin said the flow of volunteer soldiers remained strong, surpassing 400,000 this year. It was not possible to independently verify this claim because little is known about the recruitment effort.
But the government provides relatively high salaries and extensive benefits that have helped boost the ranks of the troops. The Kremlin says it relies solely on volunteers to fight in Ukraine, but some media reports and rights groups have said military officers often coerce conscripts into signing military contracts.
Asked by a soldier’s widow about slow pension payments, Putin apologized and promised the problem would be resolved quickly — a typical exchange at the annual event, which he often uses to show his knowledge of a wide range of subjects and his ability to solve problems.
The press conference included questions from journalists in the Gostinny Dvor amphitheater, as well as via video links from across Russia. A young man in a red bowtie holding a sign saying he wanted to get married used his question to Putin to propose to his girlfriend. Later, one of the presenters hosting the event reported that she said yes, and Putin joked about raising money for the wedding.