During his speech to the leadership of the Russian Defense Ministry, Vladimir Putin attributed the low likelihood of successful negotiations over Ukraine to the position of the current Western ruling class. As Europa Press reported, the Russian president noted that Moscow remains committed to dialogue to peacefully resolve the problems that have arisen in recent years. However, he warned that if Kiev and its allies’ refusal to negotiate continues, Russia will resort to force to achieve what he described as the “liberation of its historic land” in eastern Ukraine.
Putin noted that European countries had acted deliberately to drag Ukraine into war, while their governments were stoking fears of global confrontation in their societies, as Europa Press reported. The president called the narrative that Russia poses an imminent threat to Europe “nonsense.” During the same meeting, and taking stock of another year of clashes in Ukraine, he stressed that these warnings were part of a strategy to manipulate public opinion and increase “hysteria” among European citizens.
The Russian president insisted that the alleged Russian threat was “a deliberate lie” and criticized European leaders for not taking into account the interests of their own societies, according to the Europa Press report. Putin attributed the failure of every attempt at negotiations to those interlocutors who insist on using “the language of force” towards Russia.
As Europa Press detailed, Putin explained that his country has always sought diplomatic solutions to conflicts, even under adverse circumstances. He assured that it was not Russia that started the hostilities in 2022, but rather blamed the destructive forces present in Ukraine and their Western backers, stating that it was essentially the West that started the war. He added that all attempts to subjugate his country through military force, support for separatist and terrorist movements or through sanctions have been unsuccessful.
Despite the conflict situation, according to Europa Press, Putin reiterated the readiness of the Russian authorities to start talks with their European counterparts, but made it clear that he considers significant progress unlikely due to the policies pursued by Western rulers. He reiterated his warning that if the Ukrainian government and its allies continue to refuse to seriously negotiate, Moscow will continue to use force to regain territory it considers part of its historical heritage.
Among the military achievements Putin claimed in 2025 was the restoration of more than 300 cities in eastern Ukraine. The Russian president was proud of the achievements of the troops stationed at the front and, without giving exact figures, noted that the Ukrainian army had experienced “hundreds of thousands” of desertions. In addition, Putin partially supported the thesis of former US President Donald Trump, who pointed out that the war in Ukraine might not have happened if the previous US administration had remained in power, and accused the previous administration of deliberately provoking the armed escalation.
Europa Press reported that the Russian president also praised North Korea’s cooperation during the offensive, saying that North Korean fighters, along with Russian forces, took part in demining tasks and in key military operations to “liberate” Kursk province.
At the same meeting, Defense Minister Andrei Belousov addressed NATO’s recent moves. According to Europa Press, Belousov warned that the maneuvers, expansion of the bloc’s budget and demands to invest 5% of national GDP in defense showed the alliance’s preparation for a possible direct military confrontation with Russia, in line with the public statements of its leaders. He explained that the Allies’ plans are aimed at ensuring that member countries are able to respond to serious conflict situations by the 2030s.
The Russian Defense Minister warned, according to Europa Press, that this strategy contributes to maintaining the conflict in Ukraine at least until 2026 and prolonging the war with the aim of weakening the country. Among other things, he described the accelerated deployment of NATO forces on the eastern flank, preparations for the installation of medium-range missiles and the modernization of the alliance’s nuclear arsenal. He stressed that the continued development of strategic nuclear forces is essential as a deterrent against any possible aggression.
Addressing the annual balance of the conflict, Belousov said that, in his view, the Ukrainian armed forces were in a situation of “collapse” after losing around 500,000 soldiers and more than 103,000 weapons last year, effectively withdrawing from Kursk province and losing defensive positions in the Donbas and Zaporizhzhia regions. According to the minister, the combat potential of the Ukrainian army has been reduced by about a third and the Kiev authorities would no longer be able to replenish their troops by resorting to forced mobilization of the population. Europa Press obtained these assessments from the Defense Minister during the high-level meeting in Moscow.
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