'You can't defeat Russia, make peace with reality': Putin’s blunt message to Europe & Zelenskyy

Putin’s Statements on the War

Vladimir Putin said Russia could not be defeated on the battlefield and called efforts to achieve its “strategic defeat” unrealistic. He argued that Europeans did not want a war with Russia and said Moscow was not preparing for one, while accusing some European countries of promoting an anti-Russian campaign.

On Ukrainian territory claimed by Russia, Putin rejected describing those areas as losses. He called them historically Russian and said their residents had voted for independence and then reunification with Russia.

Putin said Russia did not want to fight Ukraine but maintained that it would achieve all the goals of its “special military operation” if Kyiv continued fighting. He criticized Ukraine’s reliance on foreign weapons and funding and claimed that forced mobilization and desertions showed declining motivation among Ukrainian troops. He cited roughly 500,000 deserters and more than 300,000 criminal cases as evidence.

Putin said Russia had supported a peaceful settlement since 2014 and remained ready to negotiate.

Diplomacy and Security

Putin said Moscow was prepared to resume trilateral contacts involving Russia, Ukraine, and the United States. He said discussions should address security for both Russia and Ukraine after a final peace agreement, rather than focus only on a temporary ceasefire. He also agreed that European security arrangements would need to be discussed.

Presenters and Contributors

• Vladimir Putin
• Pavel Zarubin, interviewer