Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared that he believes the war in Ukraine is “coming to an end,” signalling a possible shift towards diplomacy after more than four years of devastating conflict.
His remarks coincided with a scaled-back Victory Day parade in Moscow and growing international speculation about renewed peace talks.
Putin’s statement was delivered on Saturday in the Kremlin, just hours after he had vowed victory in Ukraine during the annual May 9 Victory Day commemorations. This year’s parade was notably subdued, with Russia opting to display videos of military hardware on giant screens rather than showcasing intercontinental ballistic missiles, tanks, and missile systems across Red Square.
The event, which traditionally honours the 27 million Soviet citizens who perished in the Second World War, reflected the strain of a war that has lasted longer than the Soviet Union’s fight in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–45.
The Russian leader told reporters, “I think that the matter is coming to an end,” referring to the Ukraine war, which has become Europe’s deadliest conflict since the Second World War. He added that he was open to negotiating new security arrangements for Europe, identifying former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder as his preferred interlocutor. This choice underscores Putin’s desire to engage with figures he considers sympathetic to Moscow’s perspective.
Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine triggered the gravest crisis in relations between Russia and the West since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, when fears of nuclear confrontation were widespread. The Kremlin has maintained that peace talks brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration remain paused, though recent developments suggest diplomatic momentum may be building.
Reports indicate that European Union leaders are preparing for potential discussions, while Russia insists that European governments must make the first move, given that they severed contact with Moscow at the outset of the war.
Putin also reiterated his long-standing narrative that Western “globalist” leaders had betrayed promises made after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 by expanding NATO eastward and attempting to draw Ukraine into the European Union’s orbit. He framed these actions as the root causes of the conflict, portraying Russia’s “special military operation” as a defensive measure against Western encroachment.
The war has exacted a staggering toll. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed, vast areas of Ukraine reduced to rubble, and Russia’s $3 trillion economy severely strained. Moscow’s relations with Europe are now at their lowest point since the Cold War, with sanctions and isolation deepening Russia’s economic and political challenges.
Despite controlling nearly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, Russian forces have struggled to secure the entire Donbas region, where Ukrainian troops remain entrenched in fortress cities. Advances have slowed considerably in recent months, fuelling speculation that Moscow may be seeking an exit strategy.
The timing of Putin’s remarks has drawn global attention, particularly as Russia and Ukraine recently agreed to a U.S.-backed three-day ceasefire and a prisoner exchange involving 1,000 detainees each. Analysts suggest that these developments, combined with Putin’s comments, point to a possible diplomatic breakthrough, though scepticism remains about Moscow’s true intentions.
Reuters
