Russian President Vladimir Putin offered his most optimistic public assessment of the war in Ukraine, telling reporters he believed the conflict was nearing its conclusion.
The striking signal delivered on the very day a US brokered ceasefire came into effect and as Moscow hosted its most subdued Victory Day parade in years.
"I think that the matter is coming to an end," Putin told reporters of the Russia-Ukraine war, Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II.
The remarks came hours after Putin addressed troops on Red Square, where he framed Russia's campaign in Ukraine as a "just cause" against "an aggressive force armed and supported by the entire NATO bloc" and declared, "Victory has always been and will be ours."
Why Putin Thinks The War Is Winding Down
Several converging pressures appear to be nudging Moscow toward the exits:
- Russian forces, reportedly, have been unable to capture the whole of the Donbas region, and while Moscow controls just under one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, its advances have slowed significantly this year.
- The war has drained Russia's $3 trillion economy, with Western-led sanctions compounding the financial toll and Moscow's relations with Europe now worse than at any point since the Cold War.
- A Trump-brokered three-day ceasefire and a prisoner exchange of 1,000 soldiers from each side have created a rare window of de-escalation.
- Russia controls nearly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, while Ukraine's counteroffensives have failed to reclaim major occupied areas — leaving both sides in a grinding stalemate.
- Analysts suggest Putin may now believe Russia is "more willing to suspend the war than previously," having rejected earlier peace efforts when he calculated that continued fighting could yield greater territorial gains.
ALSO READ: Putin Says Ukraine Ceasefire Prompted by Kyiv Security Warnings
On the prospect of peace talks, Putin set firm conditions. He said he would be willing to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a third country, but only after the terms of a peace agreement had already been settled. "This should be the final point, not the negotiations themselves," he said.
Putin's remarks came a day after President Trump announced a three-day ceasefire alongside a prisoner exchange of 1,000 soldiers from each side. The Kremlin has said broader peace talks brokered by Trump's administration remain on pause.
The war has now lasted longer than the Soviet Union's involvement in World War II.
ALSO READ: Putin Hints At Possible End Of Ukraine Conflict During Victory Day Address
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