During a year-end press conference, Russian President Vladimir Putin asserted that the war in Ukraine has made his country significantly stronger. He dismissed concerns about the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria affecting Russia’s positioning.
Putin labeled Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as illegitimate and expressed willingness to meet with President-elect Donald Trump to discuss peace proposals for ending the invasion.
Despite his openness to dialogue, he made it clear that Russia has no intention of relinquishing control of Crimea or the four Ukrainian regions claimed in 2022.
Despite ongoing military advancements in Ukraine, Putin exuded confidence and optimism.
“The situation on the battlefield is changing drastically, with movement occurring along the entire frontline.
“Every day our fighters are reclaiming territory by the square kilometre,” he said.
He said the Russian military was “advancing toward achieving our goals” in what he calls the special military operation in Ukraine.
Putin said at one point that Moscow was “ready for negotiations and compromises” to end the fighting, but later he pointed to a maximalist position that would involve Ukraine not joining Nato, adopting a neutral status and undergoing some level of demilitarisation, while also demanding that the west lift its sanctions against his country.
